


Cold steel, soft feather

by LeatherDaddy



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, I am shooting for a 50000 word fic here, Just gonna have to read to find out i guess, Slow Burn, Warren has three emotions, Warren is incredibly good at being pissy, Whats that in the distance? Could it be new emotions?, and angry, i will tag as i go, mad - Freeform, pissed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 33,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29644908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeatherDaddy/pseuds/LeatherDaddy
Summary: Being the only mutant at Xavier's school with powers fit to keep Warren and his shiny new shiny projectile firing wings under control, or at least prevent him from accidentally maiming a student,  you've been tasked with doing just that.
Relationships: Warren Worthington III/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	1. Everythings gonna be ok

You, in lack of words better words to describe it, "Were up shit creek without a paddle". You grew up in a strong Anti-mutant household, so the discovery that you were, in fact, a mutant was a cataclysmic event. Any other parent would be thrilled, this power just saved your life, and here you stood bags in hand staring as the front door of your family home was slammed in your face, tears still fresh on your cheeks. It happened in an instant, you should be dead really nothing but a spot of cloth, bone, and blood in the middle of the road. one minute you were walking down the road headphones in your ears, the next a car going upwards of 80 mph was stopped in front of your hands inched from the hood. The only injury was the driver had whiplash.

You ran your hand over your face a single sob raking through your throat as fresh tears fell. Feet still planted on your old porch you sobbed bags falling from your hands to cover your mouth. Several minutes later you took one solid breath and turned around spinning on one foot you started to walk. Away from the family who loved you till one moment ago, over a mutation you couldn't control. It was unfair you were never dangerous, you had never hurt anyone, hell all you did was save your life ON ACCIDENT. You walked down roads it was mostly barren occasionally, as you walked past houses, you'd hear a gasp and the slam of a door. Were people really scared of you? You grew up in this neighborhood, people here knew you, you were friends with some of them.

Several miles of aimless walking later you were deep in thought, so deep that you hadn't even noticed the black car pull up beside you almost large enough to be a limousine. Before you could turn and walk in the opposite direction the passenger's seat front window rolled down. A young man called your name, it was meant to be a question looking for confirmation it was your name, his voice was familiar still you couldn't place it. Despite your better judgment you nodded. 

He smiled at you "I saw you on the news and I had to meet you, we had been to your house but nobody would answer the door". At the mention of your house, new tears welled up in your eyes. The man's smile fell instantly. "I am so sorry, I assume they did not take to it well?" All you could do was shake your head promising yourself you would let no more tears fall. "I was actually visiting to ask if you were interested in enrolling, it would be free obviously, boarding, and everything else is provided". The voice and the face clicked in a second, Charles Xavier was asking you to join in school, the only school in the state for mutants. It was a relief you had somewhere to go with others like you. "Your powers really are extraordinary one of a kind even. We would be honored to have you". He was trying to convince you, you didn't need convincing. You nodded fresh tears rolling down your face despite the promise you had made minutes ago.

The back window rolled down a silver-haired boy with a bright smile on his face pointed over his shoulder into the car. "Get in loser we're going shopping". 

"Peter can you not see she is ups-" Charles scold dies on his lips as you laughed. 

"Well come on what are you waiting for we got shit to do". Peters smile never falling. 

"Peter". Charles glared at the boy.

You laughed harder "No no it's ok I needed that".

Charles sighed but smiled at you lightly gesturing to the back seat. Taking your chance you ran to the back seat opening the door and taking a seat, and the car started. 

"That's Hank, normally he's a lot bluer". Peter's joke fell flat not knowing what he meant exactly probably a mutant thing but you smiled anyway. Peter stuck his hand out the gum you hadn't even noticed he had poping loudly. "Quicksilver but most people call me Peter". The whole silver look he had going on suddenly made a lot more sense. 

Hank groaned. "Most people call you annoying actually".

Peter gasped dramatically. "Oh yeah? Well most people call you Blu-".

"Enough the both of you, now y/n tell me about your powers" Charles glanced at you in the mirror, and despite everything that happened you figured you were gonna be ok.

It didn't take long to reach school most of the drive was filled with answering the Professor's question and some of Peter's. It was huge made of brick and it was absolutely stunning in person, with large areas of grass and flowers around the front a fountain in the middle of the main walkway. There were people, students, of all ages playing in the courtyard, most of which looked like normal people. Professor offered you a personal tour of the school which you accepted almost immanently, learning the layout of the school, libraries, dorms, the cafeteria this place had pretty much everything. The pond around back became your favorite spot almost instantly, a tree laid knocked over cut in half across it, you'd have to remember to ask about that later.

The Professor was looking at you, you could see him out of the corner of your eye. 

"Professor?"

"I understand your family did not take it well, it's a gift to carry but some people refuse to see it as that" He sighed. "I am here if you need to talk, it's a burden none should carry alone". You nodded silence in the air for a long while.

"I know this may be a little soon but I would like to test your abilities sometime around the end of the week". Despite what having powers had caused you, you couldn't help to be a little curious about everything you could do.

"Yeah, sounds good". The professor just nodded.

The next week passed in a blur of learning schedules, trying to get caught up in classes, making your dorm room a temporary home. Most of the classes were just normal college classes, so thankfully stuff you knew and understood, with the occasional mutant class thrown in. Peter had insisted you join his friend group being that he liked you, and thought you'd fit in well, you did. You learned everyone in the group fairly quickly, Scott and Jean who were dating, Ororo, jubilee, Kurt, and of course Peter. The group took you in almost immediately like you had always been there, it made your life incredibly easier having people there like you, they helped where they could, never let you get lonely or think too hard. 

You were all sitting in peters room as he was the only one without a bunkmate besides you, plus he had a tv. "So-" Peter popped his gum. "I hear you have a power training course or whatever Professor calls it" His hand waving lazily in the air to emphasize the words. 

"A trial run I guess, just to see the extent of what I can do". You shrugged trying to enjoy the movie. 

Peter was sitting cross-legged on the floor now the tv paused before you could even blink, causing a chorus of groans from the group. "You can't tell me NONE of you are interested in what y/n can do I mean Professor personally sought her out she gotta be something special". He was gesturing at you, eyes flicking between everyone in the room. 

"Well he also personally sought you out and you're just you". Scott snickered Jean slapping him lightly on the arm smiling. 

"Ha Ha I helped stop the apocalypse asshole, and I got a bomb ass cast that everyone signed". Peter had his old cast in hand before Scott could respond. "Doubt anyone would even sign yours". 

Scott opened his mouth snarky reply on his tongue when Jean spoke over him. "You can stop projectiles right, anything other than that you know of?" 

"I don't know, I've never tried". Peter was on the other side of the room in a snap, paper ball in hand. 

"If I throw this at you can you stop it?" Peter threw the ball up and caught it repeatedly. 

You squinted your eyes at peter "Do not-". It was too late peter had already thrown the ball. You flinched closing your eyes, but the hit never came and you cracked your eyes, the ball was hovering inches from your face everyone was quietly staring at it. You blinked once, twice, and the ball fell to the floor. 

"That is kind of cool" Kurt was the first one to break the silence, tail flicking behind him. 

Peter was smiling widely at you "How big of an object can you stop?" 

You shrugged again still staring at the ball. "I stopped a car? so decently big I guess"

"I heard you gave the dude whiplash". Jubilee laughed, you rubbed the back of your neck suddenly feeling bad. 

"Hey don't feel bad it was your life or some guy having whiplash, it wasn't a hard choice". Storm comforted you lightly, it's easy to forget she was helping cause the apocalypse not 2 months ago. 

"Whiplash, that's what we're calling you, It makes sense right?" Peter stated glancing around the room again.

Everyone nodded at you even you had to agree it really did make sense. "Guess I can't argue with all of you". 

"You're welcome". Peter smirked and the movie resumed playing and peter was laying on the bed before anyone could say anything else. 

We all sat in silence for a while after that watching the movie, with the occasional "Comedy" input from Peter. Around the end of the movie, Scott dozed off snoring slightly peter turning the volume up for the rest of the movie to tune him out. Everybody stretched as the credits rolled aside from Scott who awoke with a jolt and a "shit" from peter kicking him. You said a quick bye walking out the door to your dorm Jean followed after you leaving her boyfriend who was bickering with Peter. "Hey, don't be nervous about the trial thing, it's really nothing just seeing what you can do". she patted you lightly on the shoulder

You winced "What if they don't work if I'm nervous? what if I get in there and I get hit in the face by whatever gets thrown at me?"

"The Professor will understand don't worry too hard about it". She glared in peters room Scott was walking out almost instantly, you would have found it funny if you weren't so on edge. "Bye y/n you'll do great".

You managed a small smile and thanks for making your way to your dorm. 

* * *

When you woke the next morning your nerves were even worse, combine that with the lack of sleep and you were a mess. The professor had scheduled you to meet him in the training grounds around three in the afternoon, you had 6 hours to steel your nerves. Class for the most part had distracted you along with Peter and the rest of the group trying to get a laugh out of you, you were calmer around midday. Jean had even offered to skip class to be there for you. You insisted you were fine until she relented and decided not to go. As bad as you wish it didn't three o'clock ticked around eventually, you made your way to the training grounds

It was an open area of dirt close to the pond some targets around one of the edges, Professor talking to a few students in the middle. "y/n if you would please stand just over there, see if you can stop this". He nodded to one of the students who threw a small ball in the air, it came back down into his hand. Professor smiled at you. "Don't worry we can try again". Several attempts later you had failed to stop anything. "Not all of us can do it on our first try".

"I was able to do it last night". The words had left your mouth before you could stop them. 

"What do you mean?" You explained the best you could of the paper ball incident. 

"You think I can only do it when it's a danger to me?" 

"It's a possibility, but I doubt it, it's probably you not knowing how to fully con-." Professor's eyes widened at something behind you.

"Professor?" You glanced behind you and were face to face with a bright red frisbee spinning in place almost grazing your nose. 

"Amazing, you can do it without even thinking about it". He seemed a little surprised.

Across the yard, a young girl was waving at you and asking for you to throw it back. Before you could reach to grab it the frisbee was flying back in her direction, you gasped quietly stepping back. "Professor did you see that too? I didn't even touch it". A smile was playing on your lips now.

He hummed from behind you. "I had assumed you could only stop projectiles, you can completely change their trajectory maybe more". 

"So I guess it's not just a danger thing then, Considering I threw it back and that's not exactly needed to keep me safe". You looked back at the Professor. 

His eyes met yours from where he was watching the children. "I think that is enough for today, this is good progress y/n, your power really is extraordinary". He started on his way back to the school when he suddenly stopped. "Oh, and your friends are hiding over there by the way". Subtly nodding his head to the left. "They've been watching for a while". And with that, he continued on his way.

You turned to the left raising an eyebrow and crossing your arms accusingly. They were caught their eyes widening slightly when you turned to them it was almost comical, aside from Kurt who disappeared instantly. They all looked varying degrees of guilty Peter being none trying to wave you over almost instantly, you shook your head but complied. Kurt reappearing as you got closer, avoiding eye contact with you. By the time you got there, everyone had settled making it clear you were gonna be here a while, no doubt talking about your powers. Scott pushing off the tree he was propped on to sit next to Jean. Peter attempting to prop his feet up in your lap as you sat down. You scoffed and pushed them to the side.

Jean grinned at you "I told you you'd do fine, you even impressed the professor". 

"I did?'" A look of skepticism crossing your face. 

"Of course you did, he's not the only one who's telekinetic remember?" 

"I feel like anyone else would have this power under control now". You threw your hands in the air in exasperation. 

Scott looked over at you, even without seeing his eyes you knew it was a deadpanned stare. "I still can't control mine". 

"Yeah, and it took me like four months to get to where I am with my powers now". Jubilee added.

"I'd say you're doing good for your power" Ororo stated. "It's not an easy thing to control."

Peter laughed out of nowhere "Can you imagine what happened to me when I found out I had mine? I was just trying to run to the fridge as a kid next thing I knew I was on the floor broken nose and door from running into it that fast". Everyone in the group laughed at that, despite most of the hearing it before. "Took me forever to be able to control my speed." He ran a hair through his hair. "When I did get the hang of it though I stole so much shit, poor guys never even knew I did it". 

"Shame on you, Peter". You tried your best to sound serious. 

Peter smiled. "Well yeah I felt like I could do anything with that power. But I helped stop the apocalypse so I guess that'll just have to make up for it". Laying back in the grass he crossed his legs at the ankle. 

The rest of the afternoon passed with funny and embarrassing stories involving their powers, Scott's story of eye blasting the door off of a bathroom stall and nailing the school dick with it being one of your favorites. You didn't have any to share but nobody minded, claiming you had plenty of time to make some. Then suddenly everyone was looking at you trying not to laugh. "What?"

"I've been doing this a while". Peter claimed and reaching down to grab and flick another acorn in your direction. Turning around you realized around fifteen acorns were hovering near you 

You glanced back up at him raising an eyebrow "Really?" You smiled at a thought, the acorns suddenly shooting in his direction.

"Ow shit". Everyone laughed, it wasn't often that Peter got hit by things but occasionally he'd slip up. 

You covered a snicker with your hand. "Maybe I am getting the hang of this". 

"Peter scoffed but it held no real annoyance. "Maybe try it on someone else next time". Peter shoved you lightly. 

"Nah you're way too good of a target". You laughed out.

"I think we should go to the mall, maybe even the movies" Jubilee suggested from her place on the grass. 

"Does the professor let us do that?" You questioned.

Jean laughed "Yeah, as long as me or Scott drive. Peter if you would".

Peter was gone for a second then back a small burst of wind following him, keys in hand, and tossed them to Scott. You rolled your eyed but made your way to the garage with everyone else. Scott sat in the driver's seat cranking up the car, Jean reaching over to find a good song on the radio everyone liked which proved to be a difficult task. Around halfway to the mall she found one, Peter singing off note the rest of the drive. None of us could stay mad, occasionally joining in, none of us were any better than him. I began to wonder if I even missed my old home anymore

"And here we are". Peter threw his hand out gesturing to the mall the other slung over your shoulder. 

You shrugged his arm off. "Yeah, yeah I've been to a mall before Peter". 

"But not this mall". Scott bumped your shoulder with his. "Best mall in the state this is where we gave Kurt the full American experience. Can you believe he didn't know what a mall was before us?" 

Kurt appeared beside you in a flurry of blue smoke. "It is true, I never knew such a place existed". 

"Best mall in the state". Jubille mentioned making her way to the front entrance. 

Ororo leaned down and whispered in your ear. "I've never been to a mall either".

You smiled at her. "Come on first time for everything you'll love it". 

The first thing you noticed was people tended to avoid your group, you had almost forgotten some people didn't particularly enjoy mutants. Occasionally one would send a dirty glance, peter yelling "what's your problem" was normally enough to send them off. Jubilee had parted off almost instantly, and Peter not long after something about gaming. Several hours and stores later it was approaching twelve o'clock, and Peter returned asking who wanted to try the arcade. Turns out the only one of us good at arcade games is Peter, poor Kurt never won more than one ticket per machine. Peter was hundreds of tickets in, one machine had run out after he was done with it when he was approached by security. "I'm gonna have to ask yall to leave".

Peter was still blasting away on some asteroids game he didn't even look like he was concentrating that hard. "Sure thing mall cop, if you can give me a reason why". The man said nothing for a moment opening his mouth Peter cut him off. "Nah wait let me guess it cause we're mutants?" Peter's bubble of gum popped loudly. "That it chief?" Clicking the button a final time harder than necessary Peter set a new high score on his 10th machine, and swiveled around in the chair. "Better question is, is it because you personally don't like mutants or because you think my mutant power is being good at arcade machines?" Peter crossed his arm back propped up against the machine still chewing his gum. 

"I am not required to explain myself to you, I will not ask again". It was clear he was not used to mutants standing their ground. A small crowd had gathered to watch at this point. 

"Still gonna be a negative ghost rider, they don't even trust you with a gun, what are you gonna do wave your baton at me?" Peter sat up directly to pop a bubble in the cop's face. 

The officer reached a hand over his walky-talky. "Sir I will can the police". He was grasping at threats at the point. 

Peter raised his eyebrow. "you're gonna call the cops? On your walky-talky?" You and Scott let out a quick bark of laughter at that, the cop's eyes glaring into yours at your outburst. "even if you did what would you say? Dispatch I need cops down here stat, we got a kid here whos good at arcade games, or there a mutant minding his own business in the arcade". Peter stretched exaggeratedly. "Past my curfew anyways, you can buy yourself something nice with those tickets, a plastic spider ring or maybe a cheap kazoo if you're lucky". We followed peter after that, the small crowd of people we had gathers either splitting off or trying to grab tickets. Making our way to the exit you spotted something in a display window, as quietly as you could you stepped away from the group to take a better look. 

Peter was leaned up against the wall next to the glass, guess you weren't as quiet as you thought. "whatcha looking at?" 

You sighed looking through the window. "That one right there, the later one. I always wanted one but my parents never let me have one". 

"Well, you know what y/n" There was a glint in Peter's eye. "Your parents aren't here to stop you anymore". 

I grinned at that. He's right. "I can do whatever the fuck I want". It was meant to be a whisper but Peter heard anyways. 

"Fuck yeah you can, now get in there and buy that jacket". He nodded his head to the door. "Or if you want me to grab it for you". 

"No, I got it this is personal, yall can go wait in the car". You turned to walk into the store, on a mission. 

The group waited on you in the car, Whistling and whooping as you made your way over them, leather jacket proudly sitting on your shoulders. Several versions of "Fuck you parents" were heard amongst the group, and you laughed a full-body laugh as you got in the car. Several jokes and comments later everyone was able to catch their breath when Scott's phone rang, his grin dropping almost instantly. 

"Scott what happened?" Jean reached over resting her arm on his shoulder. 

"Professor needs y/n back at the mansion as soon as possible". Scott glanced at you through the mirror. 

"Me? I haven't done anything wrong, have I?" I glanced around at everyone, nobody answered. "Shit". 

Scott sighed. "He didn't sound mad so I doubt you did, but something is definitely wrong. It's possible he just needs your help".

I sunk down into the car's seat. Shit, I really hope I haven't fucked something up.


	2. Hey Warren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty happy with how this chapter turned out. Yay me. 
> 
> I didn't change much just added stuff. Enjoy

Pulling into the driveway of the school dozens of worst-case scenarios played through your head. Had you done something that bad? You couldn’t be kicked out, you had nowhere else to go, you had friends here. Fingernails digging into your knees trying to get a grip on your nerves, Scott said he didn't sound mad, maybe he wasn't even mad. You jumped out of the car before Scott even turned off the ignition and made a sprint for the Professors office. You froze at his door hand up in mid knock telling yourself everything was gonna be fine you knocked once. The door unlocked and you took it as an invitation to open the door. Professor was at his desk Hank standing in the corner of the room, they looked serious. 

"I should say you are not in trouble". You released a breath you didn't know you were holding. "I have a favor to ask of you one that your powers would come in useful, but feel free to say no I won't hold it against you". Nodding you waited for him to continue. "I need someone to monitor Warren, and I am assuming you don't know who Warren is. He was one of the horsemen of the apocalypse, like Ororo and Erik, but his temperament is more unpredictable". 

"Unpredictable?" You flicked your eyes between the Professor and Hank. 

"Warren's past wasn't easy on him; I looked through his memories, and none of them were particularly good. His father was the lead developer of the "Mutant Cure" you can probably imagine how him being mutant went over with his father. From what I gather from his memories he fled to Germany for some time, got caught up in some mutant cage fighting". Professor nodded at Hank who opened a file cabinet, flipped through it for a second, and held a file out to you. "That is all we have on him, he won't say anymore and his memories are too jumbled for me to find anything else." 

You moved your chair closer to the desk and sat the folder down, spreading the pictures out, they seemed like the easiest place to start. The largest picture was more of a poster yellowed and weathered words in a language you didn't know, a picture of Warren in a fighting cage his wings arced up in victory behind him, another large mutant laid on the floor in a puddle of blood. "Jesus". You hadn't meant to say it out loud. 

"This was one of the publicity posters, Warren was their champion say he went rounds winning without breaks". Professor scanned the pictures picking one from the pile. It was blurry and poorly taken but it was obviously Warren, he was flying above a crowd of people one wing lower than the other it almost looked singed. "This was the night he escaped the arena". 

"His wing look damaged, did something happen to it?" Picking up the picture you ran your thumb over his injured wing. 

Letting out a puff of breath the professor looked from the picture to you. "His last fight was Kurt, ran his wing down an electrified wall. That's the night he escaped Sabah found him long not after that, Ororo said he was drinking himself to death in an abandoned building". The last picture he picked was the clearest of them all Warren laid out on an examination table chest covered in a deep purple bruise deep cuts and scars scattered across his body. His wings laid hanging over the sides, solid cold metal wings, nothing like the wings you had seen in the previous pictures. "He crashed in a plane all things considered he should be dead. Luckily for him, he has regenerating blood and heals rapidly. He actually looks considerably better in this picture than when we found him". 

Confusion was etched onto your face. "His wings-". Your words dying on your lips. 

"The wings were a gift from Sabah a replacement, with a few upgrades". He thought for a minute. "Ororo said it was a gruesome thing to watch, those metal wings splitting from his back, I can imagine it was". There was a note of sympathy in his voice. 

"What do you mean upgrades?" You tore your eyes away from the picture looking at the Professor.

"His wings are now essentially several metal blades that he can fire at will, seemingly endlessly". 

Oh, now I know why I'm needed. "You want me to prevent this?" Your eyebrows rising in shock.

"I would just feel better knowing we have some form of precautions around him, like someone who can manipulate projectiles". 

"professor I can hardly control my powers, much less be able to stop one of the horsemen of the apocalypse". That was a lot of responsibility to be put on you panic starting to creep up your spine. 

"I only want you there as a precaution I would never let him in my halls if I expected him to attack someone". He reassured you, it did help to calm your nerves slightly. "I have no doubt you could stop him if he did, your power can stop things without you even thinking about it". Without warning, Professor picked up a pen from his desk tossing it at hank who flinched for a hit that never came. The pen hovered about a foot from Hank's head before falling to the ground, Professor smiling proudly to himself. "You'll do just fine". You nodded still looking at the pen laying on the floor, Professor filled you in on small details the rest of the afternoon. Making your way to the door you stop asking Professor if you could keep the poster of Warren, he gave you a look but let you keep it anyways. How wrong could it possibly go?

* * *

A lot, a lot could go wrong. 

"What" and "He's alive?" Echoed among your group of friends and you sighed. The seven of you were relaxing in Peter's room when you decided to break the news about Warren, which unsurprisingly shocked them. Peter was appalled enough to sit up from his relaxed position on the bed just to stare deadpanned at you. Scott and Jean were staring at each other facial expressions filtering across their faces, communicating telepathically if you had to guess. 

"Warren as in Angel, the four horsemen Angel?" Ororo had cocked a brow at you, crossing her arms and shifting her weight onto one foot. 

"I guess that's what they call him, yeah". Everyone was staring at you making it really hard to avoid eye contact. 

Poor Kurt was in the corner shaking like a leaf. "He is going to kill me after what I did to his wing". Paling, as much a blue person could. 

"That's why I'm here, making sure nobody gets impaled". You tried reassuring Kurt it seemed to do little to help. 

Jean seemed to end her conversation with Scott to talk to you. "Y/n, Warren was forced to cage fight for years, that's not just something that goes away like that". 

"He was hostile when we found him drowning himself in booze". Ororo added it was obvious she was concerned.

"Hello dude tried to destroy humanity remember?" Peter added.

"Look, guys, the Professor told me everything I need to know, he's promised me Warren won't attempt to kill the minute he can. Besides, do you really think Professor would let someone as dangerous as you claim he is in his school amongst students?" You tried to sound reassuring it was a good point, even managing a small smile. 

"So whens bird boy joining us, is he at least cute" Jubilee scoffed when everyone looked at her "What? I've never seen him and there's a lack of cute guys at this school". From his spot on the bed, you could hear Peter scoff.

"Jean's eyes glinted at you. "Well y/n, was he?" Scott visibly bristled next to her. 

You laughed "You literally saw him Jean you should know".

"Sorry I was too busy trying to save the world to pay it any attention". Scott coughed loudly, reaching out to take Jena's hand. 

"It's a yes or no question y/n". Peter was in on it now not letting teasing happen without him. 

You could feel red creeping up your neck now, coughing awkwardly. "I don't really know I just focused on his wings". Everybody was still staring at you. "I mean he was fine I guess". 

Peters eyebrows wiggled. "He was fine you say?" 

"N-no fine as in like decent, nevermind". You rolled your eyes. "Anyways-" Desperate for a change in subject. "I'm supposed to meet him tomorrow". 

"Ohhhh first date". It was so quiet you didn't even realize who said it till jean was laughing at Scott. 

Peter looks you dead in the eyes with a blank expression. "Remember to bring protection". If you weren't red before you were now. 

Jubilee laughed giving you a "Bowchickawowow". Even Ororo was laughing at you now. 

"Oh my god stop I hate all of you, not you Kur-" Kurt wasn't even in the room, probably fleeing when sex was even insinuated. Everyone still laughing when you turned to face them "Not even five minutes ago you want me to have nothing to do with the guy, now your all making sex jokes?" 

"Humor is my coping strategy" Peter managed to get out between laughs.

You pressed your back up against the nearest wall sliding down until you were sitting. pulling your legs up to your chest to bury your face in them you mumbled a "Guys this is serious", but you doubt anyone heard you over the laughter. After what felt like an eternity they laughter died down and you gathered the courage to look up. Peter, who upon seeing the redness on your face and the fact you were actually embarrassed, lost his shit again. Jean actually had the decency to shoot you a sympathetic look but the corners of her mouth still fighting a smile. Refusing to let Peter have anything more to tease you about you shot him a bird, with the best-pissed off look you could manage. Jubilee leaned over whispering something in Ororo's ear, who jerked and tried to hid her laugh with her hand. You glared at them too. Jean motions you, getting up you make your way over to Jean taking Scott's spot on the couch. Not that he would mind he was too busy cracking jokes with Peter if the high five was anything to go by. 

"You're stressed". She wasn't asking a question, she was stating a fact.

You ran your hand halfway down your face. "That obvious?" 

"Maybe not to everyone but the telepathy helps". It was easy to forget she was a mutant.

Jean reached out placing her hand over yours. "If the Professor thinks you can handle this, him, you can. He would never put you up for something he didn't believe you could do". 

"Why didn't he ask you to do it, you're telekinetic, you could keep him under control easily". 

"Well I, unlike you-" She gestures you up and down. "can't stop projectiles without having to think about it, someone would be impaled before I knew what happened. I'm busy with my X-men training too so I can't be with him as much as you can". Jean quipped back at you.

Shoulders dropping slightly you knew she was right. You really were the best option. "Jean I-". 

You felt Jean's hand run up your arm, cutting you off. "If it helps I believe in you too". 

You glanced up your eyes scanning around the room, Peter and Scott seemed to be calming down at least. Eyes finally landing on Ororo who caught your gaze and pushed off the wall to make her way over to you. She stopped bending down to sit cross-legged on the floor right in front of you. You glanced over her face looking for any sign she was about to tease you, but you were met with a reassuring smile instead. She readjusted herself for a minute getting comfortable then looked up nodding waiting for you to ask her a question. 

"You met him, outside of battle I mean, what was he like?" Removing your legs from your chest you mimicked her cross-legged position. 

Tilting her head slightly she thought. "He was pissy. Up in the rafters drinking a bottle of alcohol, decently drunk too. Which I guess it was a good thing took away some of the pain of growing those wings". She grimaced slightly. 

"He wasn't aggressive though?" 

Ororo flinched slightly looking back at you with a small look of sympathy. "He threw an empty bottle of liquor at us, yelling in German telling us to piss off". 

You began picking at your nails. All things considered, that wasn't that bad, especially for a drunk ex-cage fighter. A champion ex-cage fighter. "I guess that's not so bad". That had sounded more confident in your head. 

"I don't think he's a bad person, he never talked much aside from that. But I do think he needs someone there for him, someone good for him, he's never had that before". Ororo's small reassuring smile finding its way back to her face. 

Reaching into your jacket pocket you fiddled with the corner of Warren's poster, debating your next move. Quicky you pulled the paper out before you could decide against it. "I, uh, took this with me, it's one of the cage fight publicity posters". Unfolding the paper you held it out. "Professor said he was their champion, going ten rounds straight, and winning". Warren's face captured in a victory yell, fist clenched at his sides.

"Those wings are were imposing even before En Sabah got to them". Ororo stated crossing her arms. 

Jean nodded. "To go ten rounds in a row straight winning, they had to be". 

"He's almost cute in a street fighter kind of way". Jubilee announced making her way across the room. 

You laughed, it was small but a laugh nonetheless. "In a cage fighter way, two completely different things". 

Peter's attention was suddenly back on you and the poster clutched in your hands. "Don't even think about it, stay over there I see-". 

Peter was beside you, poster in his hands before you could even finish your threat. Scott followed close behind opting to sit by Jean instead. A quick remark dying on his tongue as he took in the picture. "Is this the same dude, he's all feathery and stuff". The confused look on his face made you snicker, for a guy so fast he could be so slow sometimes. 

Scott leaned over Jean's shoulder his face almost as confused as Peters. "This is before En Sabah found him, his wings used to look like this". Jean clarified trying to help the boys. 

"Somehow he doesn't look any less intimidating". Peter held the poster closer to his face. 

"Kurt tore up his left-wing pretty bad in a cage fight, drug it down an electric wall". You frowned slightly it was kind of a shame the feathers looked nice on him. 

Peter and Scott both shared a look of confusion again. "He fought Kurt?" and "Is that what Kurn meant when he said he tore up his wing?" were both asked almost simultaneously. 

"Yes and yes, it was the night he escaped actually". You took the poster back from Peter folding it carefully and returned it to your pocket. Thinking of something you turned to Jean. "Hey, you think you could call Kurt here". 

You wall jumped when Kurt appeared in the corner. "I am here". 

"We know you spooky bitch". Peter grunted. 

You glared at Peter before turning to Kurt. "Kurt when you fought Warren, in the cage, what happened?" 

"I tried to avoid fighting, but he told me if we don't fight they'll kill us both, I-I didn't mean to damage his wing". Kurt was stuttering, on the verge of being too difficult to understand. 

"Did he not want to fight?" 

Kurt's tail twitching erratically behind him. "I don't know".

You stood. "I should go, it's already past midnight and I don't know what time I'm supposed to meet warren". With quick goodbyes and a couple more inappropriate jokes from peter you opened the door and started to make your way back to your dorm. Halfway down the hall, a "Y/n" sounded from behind you. Freezing in place you turned around, you knew that voice. "What are you doing up so late?" Amusement laced the Professors voice, shaking his head lightly. "You are still nervous about Warren". Professor wheeled himself closer to you making the talking distance less awkward. "I have already spoken to him about you. He wasn't quite fond of the idea at first, but he seems to handle it better now". You clenched your teeth, great he wasn't happy with being monitored. "Give him time, he seems to struggle opening up to people, But I am sure he'll grow to like you". Unclencging your jaw you signed through your nose quiet as you could, nodding. 

"I'll do my best Professor". 

"I know you will, now off to bed you have important things to do tomorrow. Meet me in my room early as you can". Professor nodded at your door. 

You turned in the direction of your room. "Goodnight Professor". 

"Goodnight y/n". 

* * *

The next morning you're eyes shot open, making your way to Jean and Ororo's room before you had even changed. They did their best to calm the nerves creeping up your spine on the verge of panic. Everything clicked at once, you were meeting the Champion cage fighter who tried to destroy the world. Keeping him under control. "Professor said he didn't like the idea of being monitored!" 

"Y/n, calm down he'll like you, just give it time". 

"You don't even know if he disliked you yet, you haven't even met him". 

"Just breathe". 

You weren't even paying attention to who said what, over trying to reason with yourself. Jean yelling "Y/N!" got you to pause and look at her. "In and out". You nodded quickly, breathing in through your nose out through your mouth. A couple of minutes later and you felt like you could think again. "You good?"

"Yeah". You closed your eyes leaning your head back against the wall. 

Jean touched your shoulder. "If it's too much you don't have to do this, the Professor will understand". 

"No no, I'm fine I can do this, he needs someone there. Besides Professor wouldn't let me do this if he felt I was in danger". You clenched your fists once pushing off the wall and stealing your nerves. Ororo looked worriedly at you. "Are you sure?" "I'll be fine".You tried to sound reassuring, truthfully you had no idea. "I should go, Professor wanted me in his office as soon as I woke up". You turned making your way to the door. "We can at least walk you to his office". Ororo tried, walking towards you. You turned your head in their direction managing the best smile you could. "No, I can do this". Opening the door you made your way to your room to get dressed. Grabbing your doorknob to leave you spotting your leather jacket, you reach over and throw it on. 

* * *

Reaching the Professor's door your steps faltered. With one final breath, you reached your hand up to knock. The door clicked unlocked, you pulled the handle and let yourself in. The scene before you gave you deja vu, Professor behind his desk, Hank standing in the corner. Professor smiled when you entered, but you could tell it was strained. "Y/n, good to see you". You eyed the Professor suspiciously. "warren is being-" Professor paused searching for the right word. "more difficult than I had originally anticipated". He moved had to massage his temples. "If you wish to meet him later it can be arranged". 

"No!" Professor and Hank jerked their heads towards you at your outburst. "I mean no, Professor I can't handle waiting anymore, already anxious enough as it is". You hadn't been working up the courage for nearly a day for nothing. If you had to wait one more day you'd melt into a puddle of nerves. 

Professor and Hank shared a look. "Very well". Making their way to the door you followed. An awkward silence followed until you reached the elevator. "He's been staying in a room on a lower floor, away from others, ever since he recovered. Well mostly recovered, his wings are still healing". Hank pressed the button to the lowest floor. Silence fell over the group again until Charles stopped in front of a door, the door you assumed belongs to Warren. "let me speak with him first". Professor disappeared into the room, you could hear muffled voices on the other side. One calm you could recognize as Professor, and one you didn't steady rising in volume. A second of silence and both voices were speaking quietly again, though still tense, Professor opening the door and inviting you in. 

Stepping your way into the open door you notice warren almost immediately, his metal wings flared out behind him. His eyes snapping to meet your glare still settled heavily on his face, he seemed to give you a once over. Once his eyes make it back to your face his scowl and wings seem to have dropped a little bit. 

"Warr-" The sound of The Professor's voice causing his wings to snap back up, scowl back full force now. 

You held your hand up towards the professor. "No, it's ok professor, I can introduce myself". His squinted gaze was back on you now, like he was judging you. You stepped forward half a step trying your best not to look intimidated. "I'm y/n".


	3. That's Amazing

You and warren stared at each other until you broke away to glance down at his wings slowly lowering their way down to his sides. Some of the feathers seemed bent at odd angles, others dented. At you're starting they seemed to try and fold themselves tightly against warrens back, who coughed awkwardly. Your eyes finding their way back to his face at the noise, he turned his head from your gaze, his mouth held in a tight line. Eyes darting around in the corner of his room, avoiding eye contact, he crossed his arm shifting his weight between his feet. Charles coughed from behind you bringing you back to his attention, Warren's wings flaring back out. 

"If you would just follow me". Professor turned around and out the door making his way back to the elevator. Warren huffed that came out more of a growl and walked past you out the door, right-wing shifted uncomfortably close to his body keeping the blades away from you. You stood eyebrows furrows for a second then turned to catch up to Warren, careful to avoid the wings now folded against his back. Professor moved out of the way allowing Warren to step in first keeping his wings up against the wall away from everybody. It was a tight fit between the four of you and Warren's wings but you made it back up to the top floor. 

Several students close to the elevator gasped at Warren's appearance, some even pointing or backing up. Wings flared out as far as they would go flicking at the ends occasionally. Warren seemed to growl at anyone who dared look at him, glare set like stone on his face. You glanced back at him his eyes meeting yours his breathing hard and uneven, he almost looked more nervous than angry like a cornered animal. You paused walking letting him get closer to you, his steps faltered eyes assessing what you were trying to do. When he got close enough you put yourself the best you could between other students' stares and him. His eyes widened slightly looking at you then snapped back to the students looking at him, at least he wasn't growling anymore. 

"That's enough all of you, you have classes to get to". At the Professor's words most students scattered off, a few others still trying to sneak a glance. Warren flicking his wings sharply enough to hear the metal feathers slide against each other was enough to send them off. Warren was glancing at you from the corner of his eye, looking away when you turned to offer a small smile. Hank opened the door to the Professors office allowing Warren to step in behind the Professor, his wings tight at his back to fit. You followed in after Hank closing the door never stepping inside. Behind his desk, the Professor offered both you and Warren a seat with the wave of his hand. You took one of the two seats almost instantly Warren standing to the side never moving, Professor glanced at him but stayed quiet. "Warren I understand you don't feel like you need to be monitored". 

Warren exhaled through his nose sharply. "Babysat you mean". 

Professor shook his head. "Monitored. Just until I am certain you can be left alone". 

The sound of metal sliding on metal sharply brought your attention back to Warren's wings. Once again they were flared out at his sides, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "Call it whatever you like Charles, doesn't make it any better". 

"I am here to help you Warren, She-" He gestured at you "is here to help you. Warren turned his head slightly in your direction glancing at you again. "If I did not think you fit I would not have you in my halls". Warren's jaw clenched visibly at that. 

"What about you, huh? You gonna say anything?" His glare was directed at you now, he was a lot more intimidating when it was. 

The professor sat up straighter, hand making contact with the desk. "Warren she-" 

You cut the Professor off. "I am here to help you warren, I'm the only shot you got here". Your voice was oddly calm for how you felt on the inside. 

Warren seemed to pause at that, whether it was the calmness of your voice or something else you didn't know. "Fine". Was his only response. 

Professor's eyes seemed to observe you two his brows creased. "Well, now that that's settled, I'm sure Warren needs a tour of the grounds". Reaching into his desk Professor pulled out some paper and began writing. 

"Are you not coming with us?" Surely he wasn't leaving you alone this early. 

"No, I have work to do, I am certain you can handle him from here". He didn't even bother you to glance up at you. 

"Handle me? what's that supposed to mean?" 

"Warren come on, let's go". Warren looked between you and the professor, growling lightly he yanked the door open harshly not bothering to make sure you were following. 

"Oh and y/n" you glanced back at the Professor. "He has taken a liking to you already". With that, he looked back down to his papers and you sprinted after Warren. 

Warren didn't say anything when you caught up to him, walking a little faster making it awkward to match his pace. "Do you know where you're going?" No response. "You don't do you". Warren turned a corner unexpectedly you having to turn around to catch back up. "You are ignoring me". He huffed at that, you were behind him every time you tried to get beside him his wings spread to block you. "You are also doing this on purpose". Stopping suddenly you walked into his back thankfully avoiding his wings in the process. He glared at you over his shoulder, not being able to turn around without risking cutting you with his wings. 

"What could have possibly given you that idea?" Warren was facing back down the hallway now. 

Walking around you attempted to bypass his wings, they spread again big enough to block the whole hallway. "Just a guess?" 

"Pretty shitty guess". Warren dropped his wings slightly to prevent you from ducking under. 

"So all this wing blocking is just a giant coincidence?" You glanced at Warren the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, scowl returning the second he noticed you. Warren started walking forward suddenly leaving you a few steps behind. "Yeah well, you're a pretty shitty liar". Warren's wings tucking tightly against his body made you freeze, him spinning around on one heel he stomped towards you. 

"What are you playing at?" The glare was back digging into you. 

You quirked an eyebrow at that. "Playing at?" 

"I know you know who I am. What I've done, and here you are following me like a lost puppy!" A few students were peeking their heads out of their doors now. Some cowering back in at the sight of Warren's wings scraping the walls. 

You stepped back at that. "I'm not playing at anything Warren, and I am most certainly not following you like a lost puppy". 

"So you just don't care what I've done, cage fights and horsemen not enough to scare you? Or are you just that dumb?" Warren's whole body was tense, itching to hit something. 

Stepping back forward you stood your ground. "I'm just trying to help you". Warren didn't budge. "Come on my rooms just down this way, people are staring". That seemed to get his attention, he glanced behind him practically snarling at everyone watching. They all ducked back into their rooms them a choros of doors slamming echoing down the hall. One last flare of his wings they settled back at his sides and stoped his way over to you. 

"Lead the way". So you did feeling his eyes bore into you the whole way. Placing your hand on your doorknob you turned it, walking inside. Your room wasn't a mess by any means, but it did look lived in, books and paper laid about on your desk, best still a mess from this morning. The left side of your room was bare nothing but a bed and desk it was meant for a roommate but for now, you didn't have one. Warren was studying everything over your shoulder, he was breathing more evenly now standing close enough for you to hear it. Feeling awkward you stepped in moving to sit on your bed, Warren again chose to stand. 

"You can take a seat if you want, you haven't sat since we met". Your joke fell flat, Warren's shoulder tensing up again. 

"I'm fine". He responded through gritted teeth. 

You sighed. "Warren there a perfectly good chair over there, you don't have to sit next to me". You stood up pulling the chair from your desk. "Look you can sit here it's fine". 

Warren mumbled something you couldn't catch. "What?" 

"I said I can't sit there". The confused look on your face forcing him to continue. "My wings, I cant sit in chairs with backs, I'll tear it to shreds and my back to probably". 

He was right the back was too high up. "Oh, well look you can sit on the bed over there It's an awkward distance away but it'll work". 

"And tear the mattress up? No thanks". Why was he so worried about tearing stuff up. 

"It's just a mattress warren I think it'll be ok if you do". You walked over to the bed and tried pushing it away from the wall. 

Warren shot a look at you. "The hell are you doing?" 

"Trying to move this closer to my bed". You huffed as if it was obvious. "Heavier than I thought". 

Mumbling a "Dammit" you probably weren't supposed to hear, Warren made his way over to you. "Move". 

You did and watched Warren moved the bed about three feet away from yours like it was nothing. "Are you sure you should be doing strenuous stuff like that? You were on your death bed like two weeks ago". 

Warren shrugged not looking at you situating himself on the bed. "I've been healed a while now, I heal after than you". 

"Regenerating blood I know. Professor told me you'd be dead without it". 

Warren's face hardened again. "Yeah, good thing I'm still here isn't it? I'm sure everyone is just thrilled". 

"Warren". Your voice was soft. 

"Don't give me your pity, I don't want it". Warren growled out. "I don't need your pity. I don't need anything from anybody". 

You reached out towards his hand but stopped yourself. "There's nothing wrong with needing help Warren". 

His wings flared at that several catching on the mattress leaving long gashes in it. "I don't need you, I never needed anyone, not even my-". Sentence cut short Warren looked like he regretted saying anything at all. 

"Your parents?" Warren's eyes darkened farther than they already were at that. 

A bitter laugh escaping his throat. "You know about that too, what am I some zoo animal on display for everyone to pity?" Standing up suddenly Warren continued. "Hey everyone come look at Warren his lives a pathetic joke. Only thing he was ever good at was cage fighting, now he can't even do that". You had expected his outburst to end in anger, instead, it ended with Warren's voice cracking. He sat on the floor knees pulled up to his chest wings circling him. 

Getting up you stepped in front of warrens curled up form bending to sit in front of him. "Warren?" 

"What come to berate me for this too?" Warren's voice was strained. 

"I would never berate you Warren, just want to help". Your fingers twitch yearning to touch him, but everywhere is covered by his wings. 

"You can't help me, nobody can". Warren lifted his head peering at you through his wings. 

His eyes were red but there was no sign of tears. "Yes we can, I can, you just have to let us in". 

"What's your power?" The sudden change of topic caught you off guard. 

You stood holding your hand out to help Warren. He stood on his own. "I can just show you". 

"Go ahead". Interest sparked in his eyes at that. 

"Shoot your feathers". The interest died just like that. 

He tenses guarding himself up again. "If this is some way to get me in trouble". 

"It's not I promise, just trust me". You smiled 

Warren squinted at you. "Fine". His wings stretched out looking at you. "Ready?" You nodded. "Alright then". With a quick flick of his wings, six feathers shot towards your walls. Then all stood frozen in the air, thank god it had actually worked. 

You laughed slightly. "I control projectiles, I haven't got it fully under control yet I have a hard time moving them around after I catch them". You shrugged. 

Warren folded his wings, moving beside the feathers running his finger over the floating metal. They all dropped the floor causing warren to yank his hand back and stare at you. 

"Shit sorry, they just kind of drop whenever". You rubbed the back of your neck, Warren still staring at you. A movement in his wings caught your attention, the six feathers that had just been shot had grown back almost instantly. "Oh wow". 

"What?" He curled his wing slightly trying to catch what you were looking at. 

"They grew back, almost instantly, that's amazing". You had lost the original feather you were looking at, it blending in with all the rest. 

Warren turned his head away from you clearing his throat. "Y-yeah they do that". You raised your eyebrows at him, did he just stutter? 

A knock on the door prevented you from asking. Quickly kicking the feathers under your bed you ran to answer your door. "Professor, what are you doing here?" 

"Checking up on progress". Professor glanced behind you at Warren. "How are things going?" 

Warren flinched preparing for you to send him away. "They're going good, we had a moment there but we got it cleared up right Warren?" 

Still recovering from you not asking for Professor to take him away Warren stumbled for a word. "I-uh-Yeah?" Warren cringed. 

"Well, that is good to hear, but I must ask for you to return him for now. I think it's best if we start off small with your time". Professor returned his gaze to Warren, who followed without complaint. "Thank you y/n". Professor called from down the hall. 

"No problem". it was so quiet you weren’t sure he could hear it, but you caught Warren sparing you a glance from down the hall. Once they turned down the hall you made a beeline for peters room. 

* * *

Everyone was there like you suspected, they almost always were this time of the day. Opening the door they had all asked you different questions simultaneously, the only one you were able to catch was "Did he impale anybody". You laughed at that making your way over to Peter's bed to sit on his feet. He muttered an offended sound snatching his feet away, What he gets for taking up the whole bed. "No, he didn't impale anybody whoever asked". Scott raised his hand. 

"Did it go as bad as you suspected?" Jean proper herself back up from where she was leaning on Scott. 

You shook your head. "No, but we a little hiccup at one point but we cleared it up". 

Ororo smiled at you. "Told you you'd be ok". 

"Well, what all did you do?" Jubilee grinned from the corner. 

"Not too much, we were supposed to tour the school, but there was an event and I just let him come in my room". You hadn't meant to say that last part. 

Peter gasped dramatically. "You let him come in your room, you dirty dog". 

"No we just talked, it was good I think we made progress". Maybe if you didn't acknowledge him he'd drop it. 

"Did he mention me?" Kurt was pointing to himself. 

That made you chuckle. "No Kurt he never mentioned you." Kurt made what can only be described as a 'phew' sound. 

"Well go on describe him to us, what was he like?" Ororo demanded. 

Clearing your throat you prepared for a long response. "His mood changes from moment to moment, one second he's relatively calm, the next he's on the verge of killing anyone who looks in his direction. He got all pissed at me cause I wasn't running away from him, said I was "Following him like a lost puppy", which doesn't make any sense because that kind of my job right now." You shrugged Jean nodding at you wanting you to continue. 

"You said you went to your room, what happened then?" Jubilee asked. Peter making a catcall, causing all the girls to shoot him a bird. 

"Just talked really, he helped me move that unused roommate bed closer to mine so were could talk, he can't sit in chairs with backs cause of his wings. Uh then I accidentally said something that set him off, I had expected him to get mad but he kind of just shut down and curled up on the floor". 

"What did you say?" 

"I accidentally let it slip I knew about his dad. He asked if people were just looking at him like a zoo animal. He hates when people look at him, he tenses instantly, the only reason he agreed to come to my room was that everyone was staring at him". 

"Well, what then?" 

"He asked to see my powers out of the blue, so I showed him. It seemed to help take his mind off things". 

"How'd you do that?" Scott asked that question. 

"I, um, well." You sighed. "I asked him to shoot his feathers". You flinched waiting to be scolded. 

Peter was the only one to say anything. "Well did it at least work?" 

"Yeah, yeah it did actually caught all six of them. Did you know those feathers grow back almost instantly, it's amazing. I pointed it out to him he got all quiet about to". 

"You called him amazing?" Jean snickered at you. "No wonder he got all quiet, probably the first positive thing anyone has said about him in years". 

You frowned at that. "That's kinda sad isn't it?" 

"Yeah" Even Kurt who was scared to death of that mad admitted it was sad. 

Peter started laughing. "I can't believe you called the guy amazing". 

"It might have actually been awesome, I can't remember. And I called the wing thin awesome not exactly him as a person". Blush now warming its way up you're neck. 

"That dudes totally gonna have the hots for you now". You glared at Scott. 

"What he's right one compliment and guys take it straight to the heart, and add that on top of not being complimented in years". Peter added. 

You scoffed. "If that's the case your hair looks like shit today, Peter". 

"You wound me. All I'm saying is you're the first person, first girl, to be nice to this guy in years. Hell probably the first girl not to run from him, I'd be surprised if he's not out there writing love poems for you right now. 

You scoffed. "You are absolutely ridiculous". 

"You have the weirdest ways of telling people they're right". 

"Whatever Peter, I'm headed back to my room, I have an essay due in three days I haven't even looked at". 

* * *

Several hours into you're essay later you faceplant on your bed, your shoe catching something sharp on the way. Sitting back up you peek under your bed, Warren's metal feathers catching the moonlight from the window. Careful not to touch the bladed edge you pick one of the feathers up turning it in your hand. It's lighter than you expected, cover in markings to make it resemble an actual feather. Standing back up you take the feather with you laying it on your desk, you return to your bed. You can see it from where your laying slightly illuminated by the moonlight it's kinda pretty in a deadly weapon way. Staring at that feather you let your mind wander, had the Professor been serious when he said Warren was already warming up to you? Is Warren ever gonna let me in enough to let me help? Several questions later, and a few scenarios played through your mind before you finally drifted off.


	4. Smiling looks good on you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 🚨 RED ALERT 🚨  
> There has been physical contact.  
> I repeat, there has been physical contact. 
> 
> In other shocking news, Warren may not be as threatening as he makes himself out to be.

The next morning you woke up later than usual, throwing on some clothes and grabbing your jacket you made your way down the hall. Not even bothering to stop by Jean's or Peter's rooms, you knocked on the Professor's door. The door was pulled open rather than clicking unlocked like usual, a familiar form standing in the doorway. Peeking around Warren's for you notice the Professor wasn’t in his office at all. He was staring down at you, a look of surprise subtle on his face. Warren seemed to look better, his face not quite as tormented as it was yesterday, wings in a relaxed position behind his back. Standing in silence for a moment Warren's eyes seemed to refocus and he moved to the side allowing you in. The chairs in Professor's office were nice, a brown expensive-looking leather, Warren was right if he sat down in one his wings would tear it to shreds in an instant. You hadn't even realized that yesterday. He stood in the corner wings folded, making it hard to look at him without having to turn awkwardly in your chair. That awkward silence settled back over the room, Warren making it clear he wasn't going to be the one to try and fill it. 

Sighing deeply you stood, turning your chair almost completely around to face Warren who tensed up almost instantly. He eyed you warily up and down as you sat down to look at him, looking away when he met your eyes. "Where's the Professor?" 

Warren risked a glance back at your face the looked away again. "Don't know". 

"He trusts you enough to leave you in here alone?" You knew that was the wrong thing to say, wings spreading slightly Warren scowled at you. 

"Yes, why wouldn't he?" He squinted at you, daring you to say something else. 

You backtracked apologizing immediately. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask that". 

"Doesn't matter you would have thought it anyways". Shoulder dropping slightly he shrugged. 

"Warren I-" The Professor opening the door cut you off. 

"Oh, well hello y/n, considering my office is not in shambles I'm assuming you two are doing fine". He moved past you and Warren situation himself behind his desk. "You were taking longer than expected to get here and Warren was getting antsy-" 

"I was not 'antsy'." Warren puffed up at that, a face of disgust at the word. 

Professor cleared his throat smoothing a stack of papers. "Right well, I decide it would be best to have him wait here". 

"I am so sorry, I stayed up too late working on an essay I have due in two days". Warren's head snapped in your direction. 

Professor tilted his head returning his gaze to you. "Y/n you don't have due dates while you monitor Warren, turn things in as you can on your own time, I will see to it that your classes are not affected". You breathed out a sigh of relief at that. "You are an exceptional student, I doubt you even need the classes we teach here having already graduated high school". An almost smug smile made its way onto the Professor's face. "See Warren, she did not abandon you". 

"I wouldn’t care even if she did". Warren spat through a clenched jaw. 

You fought a smile, so he did want you around. "Come on I can give you an actual tour this time". 

Warren grumbled something you could hear but followed you out of the office anyways. He caught up with you easily sticking close but not close enough to be uncomfortable. Most students were in class right now, making the hallway empty of other people, Warren seemingly more relaxed. You pointed out some of the more important classes and some of the ones you were currently taking, he didn't seem interested but followed your finger anyways. You guided him to the cafeteria which he called useless claiming he wouldn't be eating there anyways, you looked at him expecting him to explain why but he never did, so you moved on. Once you had completely cleared the first floor you made your way back to the stairs to show the second. When your foot touched the first step Warren stretched his wings scaling the steps with one jump, you stood there frozen mouth slightly open staring at Warren. He stood at the top back facing you and rolled his shoulds making a popping noise as he grunted. He froze up when he turned to look at you catching your gaze, waiting for your next move. You broke off first eyes trailing down his left-wing still curled forward slightly from flight. They were catching sunlight from the large window behind him, his wings were pretty in a dangerous way. They were varying shaded of grey from dark to light, almost white in the areas that caught the sun. He almost looked like an angel. 

Warren pulled his wings close to his body as possible. "What?" Warren snapped at you. 

"Nothing, just never seen you fly before". You shook your head snapping back into reality. 

Warren gave you that look again, turning his head refusing to meet your gaze. "Haven't flown in a while". 

Looking at the clock on the wall you sighed, time had gotten away from you. "We gotta go classes are changing soon, hallways will be flooded in a second". He actually gave a panicked look at that. "Come on we can just wait outside, there's a pond outback". Warren jumped down the stairs wings opening and cupping to slow his fall. Refusing to let yourself get distracted again you made your way to the exit, Warren following close behind. Warren breathed in deeply once he stepped outside, wings opening slightly to catch the sunlight. Risking a glance at him you notice he wasn't looking at you, his eyes taking in the scenery around him, eyes landing on the pond. Without another word, he walked past you making his way towards the pond, his wings pushing off the ground occasionally to give him more speed. He stopped at the edge of the water, back and shoulders tense, wings twitching slightly like he was ready to take off. "Warren?" He made a noise of acknowledgment. "You okay?" You made your way up beside him, minding his wings.

"Why are you still here?" His face was blank but you saw the tick in his jaw. 

You were expecting a no, the question taking you by surprise. "Why shouldn't I be?"

"I've made it pretty clear I don't want you here, I don't want anybody here". You could tell he was lying, but that didn't mean it didn't sting to hear. 

"I think you're lying". Warren snapped his head at you. "I think you're scared of letting people in". 

He was glaring at you now. "You're wrong, I'm not scared of anything, let alone you". 

"That look may scare everybody else off warren but it's not working on me". His glare faltered a little, but it was back so quick you almost missed it. 

"I killed people, mutants, in that cage for years. Again that just not enough to drive you off, or are you just stupid?" 

Keeping your voice as even as you could you replied. "Because you wanted to or because you were forced Warren?" He paused at that. Bingo. "You're not nearly as bad as you make yourself out to be are you?" Still no response. "Are you afraid to get better?" Warren sat suddenly legs to his chest wings curling around him, like he did back in your dorm. He was protecting himself harsh words and warning looks no longer working. "You can let people help you Warren, you can get better". 

"No, I can't there is no better for me. Whatever chance I had left got buried in the apocalypse". The words were muffled behind his legs. 

"Warren it's not too late let us, let me, help you". Reaching out you place your palm on his back between his wings. He jerked away almost instantly, staring at you through his wings. 

Warren took a shaky breath. "It's been years since I flew freely, I flew in the apocalypse but it wasn't the same". He was changing the subject you knew that, but you let him continue anyways. "I was in that cage for years, I lost count how long, how many I killed". Closing his eyes he swallowed thickly. "I hated it there, hated myself more when I began to thrive off of it". He sat up slightly to rub his eyes. "I tried not to kill them, but some didn't stop till I did. I didn't have a choice, fight or we both die". You thought you saw a tear but you weren’t sure. "In a way, I've always been caged, my patents, the fight ring, the apocalypse. I caged myself in my own depression and self-loathing for the short time between the fight ring and the apocalypse. Hell, even now I'm caged it's just harder to see, I can't go anywhere freely". A wrecked laugh left his throat. "You'd think the guy with wings would feel the freest". Warren buried his face in his legs breathing uneven, his shoulders shaking. Reaching out again you placed your hand between his wings, he jerked but didn't pull away. Slowly you began rubbing your thumb in soothing circles on his spine until his breathing evened out.

Quietly you made a suggestion. "You could now, just around the pond, nobody would mind". 

"What?" He looked up at you, eyes still red around the edges. 

Pulling your hand away you readjust yourself on the grass. "Fly, around the pond for a minute". 

"What if they see?" The idea seemed to at least peak his interest. 

"Who? There's no one here, and if they did what's it matter?" You were smiling as you spoke. "Go, you deserve this". 

He seemed to consider it a minute, nodding he stood. Wings slowly extending to their full length behind him giving them a few warm-up beats trying them out. Seeming pleased with the results he arched his wings high as they would go holding them there for a second before giving them one powerful thrust down. He was twenty feet up in the air in a heartbeat, your hair messed up from the sudden burst of wind. He stayed in that spot wings catching the air with powerful beats keeping him aloft, he looked down at you, you nodded. He swayed backward just slightly then launched himself forwards until he reached the height he wanted, straightening his wings he soared only having to beat them occasionally. He stayed up there for a while, twisting and turning to circle the pond several times. It was amazing watching him soar, those deadly weapons now looking rather graceful. Slowly he was rising himself into the air at what you guessed to be a couple of miles, it was almost unnerving seeing him that high up there. Suddenly he pulled his wings to his body angling himself downwards and shot himself towards the pond, you panicked he was going straight for the water, it'd kill him going that fast. Just before he could touch the water he flattened his wings steadying himself just along the top of the water his fingertips grazing the surface. Letting out a shaky breath you yelled at him from across the pond. "You're an ass!" You could have sworn you heard a laugh, him turning himself back towards you rising up slightly he hovered himself in front of you, beating his wings he landed. 

His hair was everywhere from being blown around, eyes still wide and shining with adrenaline. Wings stretched out behind him almost proudly a small smile finding its way onto his face, it almost looked unnatural on his face, being so used to a scowl or glare. You were staring not quite believing the scene in front of you, Warren was smiling, it was small showing no teeth but a smile nonetheless. He was staring back down at you, his chest taking in deep breaths of air from the sudden exertion. Blinking rapidly you willed yourself to break the silence. "That was amazing, you're amazing". A look of disbelief crossed his features, but it was gone as quickly as it came thanks to the adrenaline still coursing through his veins dampening any negative emotions. He lowered himself to the ground breathing evening out quickly, it was the most relaxed you'd ever seen him by far. He leaned back onto his hands facing the sky, smile not quite vanished from his face. "You should smile more you know". He looked at you confused. "It looks good on you". He looked away clearly doing his best to fight down his smile. You didn't say anything after that for a while, enjoying the comfortable silence. A movement to your left catching your attention you looked over subtly as possible, not to alert Warren. 

The Professor sat near the entrance of the school, from the look he was giving you he'd been there for a while. Assuming it was time for Warren to head back you almost started to get up when the Professor turned to head back into the school. Warren glanced over to catch what you were looking at but the Professor was already inside by then, he returned his eyes to the sky. "We can come out here more often, every day if you'd like". 

Warren blinked slowly returning his gaze to the pond. "I don-" He paused. "Yeah, alright". Students were walking outside now, classes ending, had you really watched warren fly that long? He tensed up the moment he heard the first voice from another student. 

You got up handing your hand out to Warren not expecting him to take it. He looked between your face and hand, slowly reaching out his to grab yours. You didn't have time to help him, he had already pulled himself up using your arm, you catching yourself at the sudden tug. He didn't say anything but he did seem to try and move behind you away from everyone else's eyes. It didn't do much to hide him, being taller than you or the massive wings he currently supported on his back. "We'll just wait here a minute till the halls clear some, we can start making our way to my dorm". 

"I'm not afraid of them". He was walling himself back up, that familiar scowl returning to his face. 

"I know". You knew he was, but you let him have this. "But you can't get through the halls when they're crowded like that, not with your wings anyways". 

Warren snorted through his nose but waited with you anyways, glaring at anyone who got too close when walking by. Some younger students stood some distance away staring at you, a group who you recognized often played by the pond, too intimidated by Warren to come any closer. "Warren relax, you're scaring everyone off". 

He didn't budge. "Good". 

"It's ok they just want to be near the pond". Warren glanced around, he was essentially guarding the whole pond. Slowly he allowed his wings to relax from their imposing position to his sides. Some students stepped forward cautiously keeping a decent distance between them and Warren. "Come on the halls should be clear now". Warren followed behind you several students taking a step backward as you and Warren got closer, surprising Warren never directed his attention to them. Warren stepped in front of you anxious to get somewhere away from people, he had memorized the directions to your dorm well for only being there once. Warren let himself in freezing in the doorway, you peeked around his shoulder following his gaze. It was the feather you had laid on your desk last night exactly where you had left it, you forgot about that. 

"You kept one?" 

"Yeah, kept them all actually the rest are just under my bed". Your room was exactly the same as when Warren had left yesterday, unused bed still pushed up close to yours. Warren stayed frozen in your doorway. "You going to go in or?" Warren stepped in making his way over to the unused bed, his fingers tracing one of the cuts his wings had made the previous day. "Hey, don't stress over it, it's just a mattress that nobody's using". Warren didn't say anything but seated himself on the mattress anyways. 

"Than-" Warren struggled for a moment trying to find the words. "I'm not good with-". Warren didn't get to finish, your door slamming open cutting him off. 

"Hey y/n, there's a new episode of-". Peter's face turned confused. "Oh. Oh shit, I didn't know you had feathers with you". 

You could practically feel the air shift in the room, Warren's face set in a hard stare. "Feathers?" His voice was monotone but you could tell he was pissed, wings snapping to their full length almost instantly. 

"Look man I didn't know you were in here, my bad". Peter put his hands out in a sign of 'I don't want trouble'. 

You spared a glance at peter, afraid to take your eyes off of Warren. "It's fine Peter". You stared back at Warren, voice low in a warning. "Warren relax, it's just Peter, he's a friend". It didn't do much but it was enough to get his wings to drop slightly, warning still clear on his face. 

"I think I'm gonna go". Peter reached for the handle Warens eyes squinting following his hand the whole way until he closed the door. 

Warren spoke first. "He was there, during the apocalypse, we never fought but I saw him". His voice was oddly neutral. 

"Yeah, he was he didn't fight much but he got his leg pretty fucked up". You answered his question carefully to avoid setting him off. 

Eyes still fixed on the door Warren responded. "He didn't seem mad". It was almost a question 

"Because he wasn't, Peter lets stuff go really easily, he's a shit happens kinda guy". Your eyes scanned his face searching for any emotion. "Nobody here is mad at you Warren, a little cautious sure but not mad". You continued. "Ororo is here and everybody loves her". 

"Ororo is here?" Guess he didn't know about her. 

"Yeah". 

Warren shook his head. "That's different she turned good, helped you beat En Sabah, she's a hero now. And what am I? I was stuck under some plane on the verge of death, I shouldn’t even be alive right now". 

"Warren-" 

He cut you off. "No don't, you know Eh Sabah saw me trapped under that plane, I was risking my life to protect him and you know what he said to me?". There was a fire beneath those cold blue eyes. "He called me useless". 

"You are not useless Warren, don't think of yourself like that". You reached out placing your palm on his shoulder, his eyes snapping to it. "The man who called you that is dead now, I think that makes his opinion null and void". He didn't seem convinced. "I see something in you, the Professor does too and he doesn’t just do that without reason". You returned your hand to your side. 

Warren looked like he wanted to say more, argue with you but he dropped it. Sagging his shoulders he placed his elbows on his knees, holding his head in his hands. He looked tired taking long deep breaths, rubbing his eyes once he straightened up again. he flexed to roll his shoulders, pops echoed throughout the room Warren pausing to wince slightly groaning. "Does it hurt?" the only response you got was a grunt through clenched teeth. 

Slowly his shoulders relaxed. "I think- It's been too long since I used them I guess". 

"You might have pulled something". You stood to walk around the bed. "Do you want me to look?" 

His wings snapped closed in an instant, wincing at the motion. "No". 

"If you're sure". You decided not to push him but you did observe his wings from your spot on the bed after you sat back down. They looked heavy it probably was a strain to use them, you had no idea how they managed to get him off the ground if they were that heavy. It seemed like the area where they connected to their back would constantly be sore with the weight. The metal feathers slid over each other occasionally when he breathed too deeply or moved even slightly, a sound you had grown used to, but it almost sounded quieter than it had yesterday, or even earlier today. 

"I should head back, it's already been longer than I'm supposed to be here". He stood abruptly not waiting for you to respond, opening the door. 

It hurt your feelings slightly him choosing to leave. "Oh, well see you tomorrow Warren". 

"Yeah, tomorrow". With that, he closed the door.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning You decide to pay Peter a quick visit before heading to meet the Professor. Peter still in his nightclothes when he answers the door eyes squinted trying to adjust to the morning light. "It's like six in the morning, what do you want?" Most students were up by now getting ready, but Peter had the luxury of getting ready and in class in under a minute. 

"You". You pointed an accusatory finger. "Almost got yourself maimed yesterday". 

Peter put up his hands defensively. "How was I supposed to know lover bird was over?"

"Lover bird? Peter, we're not dating, I wouldn't even say we're friends yet". You let out an exasperated sound. 

Peter scoffed. "Oh please don't think I didn't see that little flight around the pond, you were practically making goo-goo eyes at the guy, and he was preening in it". Peter smirked. "No pun intended". 

"You saw that?" You hoped to keep that down low for a while. 

"Uh yeah, the pond is literally right there". He pointed over his shoulder with his thump directly at the pond. That had completely slipped your mind. 

"If you saw that you should have known he was still with me in my room". 

Peter made an unimpressed face. "No, I thought he returned to the Professor after that". 

"I'm sure. I'll catch you later I was already late yesterday". You waved over your shoulder quickly changing it to shoot a bird instead. You heard a 'pfft' followed by a door closing behind you. 

The Professors office was a short walk away, his door clicking unlocked before you could even knock. Opening the door your eyes immediately scanned for Warren not finding him they landed on the Professor. Studying him you could tell something was off, slowly you made your way to one of the chairs taking a seat. "So, how are things going with Warren?" Part of you had expected that question. 

"I'd say they're going good, I think he's opened up to me some, and I can get him to relax if needed". You answered carefully the atmosphere in the room making you nervous. 

Professor seemed a little surprised but recovered quickly. "That's good to hear; flying could do him some good". The professor smiled at you, helping to ease your nerves. "He seems to be adjusting to you quite nicely, faster than I had anticipated even. You have managed to get him to open up to you faster in 3 days than I have throughout his entire stay here". You took the praise to heart. It didn't take long for the worried look to return to the Professor's face. 

"Professor, where is Warren". You couldn’t wait to ask any longer. 

The professor gave you a worried look. "Warren is having a difficult morning, he seems to have had a dream". He moved his hand up to his face. "It was more of a memory really, from what I could tell, he refuses to speak anything other than german". 

"What do you mean a memory?" You were worried now. 

The professor sighed. "As you know Warren's past was hard on him, he's had days like this before you got here. I had tried to see what exactly he was thinking, to help, but that only made it worse". 

"Take me to him". Professor opened his mouth to argue. "No, he can't just be down there alone, you said to yourself he's opening up to me". 

Professor laughed. "I did say that, didn't I?" His face turned serious again. "You need to understand he tends to get hostile during these phases". 

"That's why I'm here isn't it, to keep him under control". You stood suddenly. "Come on he needs someone there. He needs me".

* * *

Professor was right, you could hear angry what you presumed to be German being yelled down the hall. It was muffled by his door, so you couldn’t quite catch what he was saying, not that it would help much. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Professor had asked you when you laid you'd hand on his door. 

"I'll be fine". You opened the door quietly as you could and close it behind you. Warren didn't seem to hear you come in, or at least he didn't acknowledge you. his back was to you, you could tell he was panicking his chest moving rapidly trying to draw in air, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. He yelled suddenly making you flinch it was German words you couldn't understand, his voice sounded hoarse, how long had he been doing this for. 

"Ich wollte nie so sein!" You whispered his name, he never turned around. "Sie liegen falsch, ich kann nicht besser werden!" You called his name a little louder now, it still did nothing. "Ich habe es nicht verdient, besser zu werden!" He was crying now, sobs racking through his whole body. His wings flicked out harshly six metal feathers now frozen in the air beside him, he didn't seem to notice when they clattered to the floor. "Ich habe mir das angetan". He was quieter now words coming out in broken cries. "Ich hätte in diesem Lagerhaus sterben sollen, wenn ich alleine getrunken hätte". You stepped closer. "Ich hätte bei diesem Flugzeugabsturz sterben sollen". You called his name again just short of a shout. "Alles was ich bekam waren diese Flügel, ich will diese Flügel nicht". A gut wrenching sob tore from his throat. "Ich vermisse meine alten Flügel, meine Federn". 

"Warren!" you reached out placing your hand between his wings, the material on his back was wet with sweat. You barely had time to avoid his wings when he snapped around to face you at your touch. 

His eyes were red and unfocused, he looked like he didn't know who you were. "Fass mich nicht an!" He was terrifying like this, face twisted in rage, his whole body tense ready for an attack. "Verschwinde von hier, lass mich in Ruhe!" 

"Warren it's okay it's just me". His eyes never cleared. 

"Du kannst mich nicht zurückbringen, ich werde dich zuerst töten!" It came out in a snarl, his wings flared out large and imposing, he was threatening you.

He reminded you of a cornered animal like this, a very dangerous cornered animal. "Breath Warren, you're okay you're safe, It's just me y/n". 

His eyes focused slightly at that, his face still set in rage but there was a flash of recognition at your name. "Du solltest nicht hier sein". The words came out harsh but it wasn't a yell.

You lowered your voice afraid anything could set him off. "I need you to speak English Warren, I can't understand you".

Your words didn't seem to register. "Du musst gehen". His words were quiet now, almost soft. 

You could see sadness written across his features, but how do you comfort somebody you don't understand. Slowly his breathing event out, eyes clearing. He ran the back of his hand over his face attempting to wipe away some of the wetness there. "Talk to me Warren". 

Warren looked around eyes settling on the feathers lying on the floor. "Ich bitte dich zu denken, dass du dumm bist. Ich hätte dich töten können". 

Noticing what he had seen you reassured him. "Hey, they weren't directed at me, you didn't even know I was in here". It was a bold move, assuming he was worried about you. 

With the saddest smile, you had ever seen he responded. "Das heißt nicht, dass du in Sicherheit warst". 

He was still speaking in thick german, you began to wonder if he ever realized it. "I don't know what you're saying". 

He seemed to realize he wasn't speaking English then, a huff of air leaving his nose that could almost be mistaken for a laugh. "Ich denke du nicht, es war wahrscheinlich am besten so". 

You let yourself look annoyed at that. He was doing it on purpose now. "Warren". 

"Du bist fast süß, wenn du verrückt bist". He stoped you when you went to talk again, frutrated. "English, got it". 

Your face dropped his voice was wrecked, from the yelling or the crying you didn't know, it was easier to hear in English. "What happened Warren?" 

"Nothing, just had a dream and got caught up inside my head". You reached out placing your fingers on his arm, when he didn't move away you let them trail downward grabbing his hand. 

**So close, no matter how far**

**Couldn't be much more from the heart**

**Forever trusting who we are**

**And nothing else matters**

Warren let you lead him to the bed by his hand, you ushered him to sit. He did. "Talk to me Warren, tell me what happened". Warren looked down at your hand on his then back to you, he almost looked scared. His eyes were scanning your face searching for judgment, he found none.

**Never opened myself this way**

**Life is ours, we live it our way**

**All these words, I don't just say**

**And nothing else matters**

"I was back in that fucking warehouse, it was so real I could smell the booze". He was opening up to you, exposing his weaknesses. Like rolling over to show your soft underbelly to a predator. "Too drunk to stand, it was before Ehn Sabah found to me, I could feel the pain in my left-wing". He swallowed thickly. 

**Trust I seek and I find in you**

**Every day for us something new**

**Open mind for a different view**

**And nothing else matters**

"He replaced my wings. I could feel it, the pain, my back splitting open to allow them to grow". He took a deep breath steadying himself. "I was back in the arena after that, the only difference was I had my metal wings, I was forced to fight again. The battles were so much worse with blades than with feathers, none of my opponents would stop till there were dead. I had no choice". Warren squeezed his eyes shut clenching his fists, the action squeezing your hand. 

**Never cared for what they do**

**Never cared for what they know**

**But I know**

"Warren it was just a dream, that's not you". You squeezed his hand back, his loosening in return. "You're safe here, your cage fighting days are done". You tried your best to keep your voice even, it was hard seeing him so broken like this. "It's okay". 

**Trust I seek and I find in you**

**Every day for us something new**

**Open mind for a different view**

**And nothing else matters**

"No, it's not okay". He snapped at you snatching his hand away. "You don't know what it's like living like that. Thriving off of fights cause it's the only thing that makes you feel something". He ran his hands through his hair. "I hate myself every day for what I did in there, hate myself more for thriving in it. They called my name after every victory, chanting it, I lived off of that". His eyes scanned your face erratically searching for something, seemingly getting more worked up when he couldn't find it. "I fought you in that dream, you never even fought back. My feather shot straight through your chest, you didn't even try to avoid it. You could have stopped it. Why didn't you stop it?" His word coming out in harsh snarls. "I watched you bleed out in front of me telling me it was gonna be okay, I sat and stared at your pool of blood after they carried you off." His voice losing its harsh tone near the end, turning into a deep ache.

**Never cared for what they say**

**Never cared for games they play**

**Never cared for what they do**

**Never cared for what they know**

**And I know, yeah, yeah**

Warren stood abruptly and you stood to meet him, standing up on the tips of your toes you wrapped your arms around his neck. His whole body froze and tensed the room falling silent for a few slow painful seconds. Just when you are about to pull away afraid you had stepped far over some boundaries you felt his arms twitch. Slowly as if unsure his arms wrapped around you not quite squeezing and he paused. When you didn't pull away he buried his face in your neck, his face wet as you let him cry into your shoulder. Cautiously you moved your hand up when his neck meets his skull and pulled him closer. Warren was being completely open with you, being vulnerable. You let him cry himself out until you were sure there was a pool of tears on your shoulder and tear streaks wetting your shirt. Rubbing soothing circles at the base of his skull he seemed to lean into the touch, you weren't surprised he was probably touch starved.

**So close, no matter how far**

**Couldn't be much more from the heart**

**Forever trusting who we are**

**No, nothing else matters**

He breathed in deeply once then pushed away from you lightly. He was standing so close you had to crane your neck up to see his face, being this close you could see how tired he really looked. "Hey". He didn't respond but his wings shifted curling forwards slightly. "How are you feeling?" 

Wings shaping back behind min Warren blinked. "I'm fine". Standing up straighter he winced. 

"Are your wings still bothering you from yesterday?" You had expected them to be sore for a bit but with his healing abilities, they shouldn't have been for more than a few hours. 

His jaw clenched, attempting to hide his wince. "No". That's the only answer you expected but he continued. "It's where they connect to my back that's sore". 

"Have you ever stayed sore for this long?" Rolling his shoulders they cracked a hiss forcing its way through Warren's teeth. "Maybe we should take you to the clinic just to get it checked out". 

"No". He defended quickly. "It'll fade, always does". 

Stepping aside to get behind him he turned to follow you, blocking you from his back. You crossed your arms but stopped your attempts anyways. "They hurt like this often then?" 

"No, it's a recent problem. Since the apocalypse". He flexed them a couple of times, he didn't wince as bad. Either because the pain was fading or he was trying to hide it. 

You attempted sidestepping quickly to get around him to his back, but his wing straightened out to stop you. He made a pained noise at that, not quite being able to muffle it. You were worried now, making your way to step around to his back again he made no move to stop you. You couldn't see much thanks to his shirt but you did manage to move one of the slits made to accommodate his wings to the side enough to see. The area where metal met skin was red and warm to the touch like it was irritated or inflamed, but you couldn't see any damage. "Warren this is more than sore, we should get you to the clinic. How long has it been like this?" 

"It's hurt since yesterday, it was ignorable up until now". He went to shrug but stopped himself halfway, the motion causing him discomfort. 

You removed your hands from his back returning to face him. "This the worst it's ever hurt?" 

"Aside from the time they split from my back yes". His voice was straining now, you could hear a hint of annoyance. 

You opened Warren's door ignoring the suspicious look he gave you. "Come on we're going to the clinic, you can't sit here in pain like this". 

He didn't argue which you were grateful for but he did give you a nasty look as he made his way past you. Tucking his wings he grunted to fit through the door, the clinic was on the same floor thankfully, walking seeming to cause him discomfort. The room was empty when you opened the door, almost all white, and you recognized the medical table as the one in the picture Warren was laying on. You pointed to it. "Go sit over there I'll go get someone". 

"I know, I've been here once before". He didn't sound particularly happy about it but made his way to the table regardless. Wincing with the movement to situate himself up there. 

You help you hand out in a 'stay here' motion. "Don't move I'm going to go find somebody". 

"Not like I have much of a choice". Mumbled behind you. 

The second you closed the clinic door you ran for the elevator willing it in your mind to go faster. You were out the doors before they had fully opened making your way to the Professor's office. Not bothering to knock you opened the door, the Professors looking surprised to see you. 

"Hello y/n, is everything alright?" He gave you an inquisitive look. 

Catching your breath quickly as you could you respond. "Warren's wings are causing him pain, he said it's been since yesterday but it was never bad till now". 

"Where is he now?" It wasn't the answer he was expecting causing his eyes to widen, but he gathered himself almost instantly. 

"I got him in the clinic". You were getting antsy, just wanting him to hurry and take a look. 

The Professor nodded one before making his way around his table to the door which you opened for him. "You return to the clinic, I'll get Hank and meet you there". 

"Thank you". You started making your way back to the elevator not waiting for a response. 

* * *

When you opened the clinic door and didn't see Warren where you had left him you panicked. "Warren?" 

The sound of running water in the clinic bathroom caught your attention, not giving it a second thought you opened the door. Warren was standing back facing you fully clothed under the chemical spill shower, one hand pulling the chain to keep the water running the other propping himself up on the wall. "It helps.... With the burning". That was all he said. You stood there staring, his clothes soaked and clinging to his skin, he didn't seem to mind your presence. Stepping into the room you felt the temperature change, the water he was using to cool down was on the verge of freezing putting a chill in the air. The Professor and Hank walked in before you could get any closer calling your name. 

"We're in here Professor". Warren never moved from his position on the wall. 

Hank and Professor walked into the room behind you both taking in the appearance of Warren. "We're here to get a look at your wings Warren if you would come with me". 

The chain squeaked when warren released it stepping from under the spray of water, it quit soon after. As he stepped closer you realized he was shivering, searching for a towel you found one reaching to grab it you handed it to him. He wiped himself off almost instantly he still winced occasionally with the movement but he seemed to be able to move better. Warren placed himself back on the medical table, turning to lie on his stomach wet clothes dripping on the floor. Hank stood beside him trying to move his shit to see quickly realizing it wasn't going to work. 

"You think you could get this off?" Hank asked pulling at the slits in his shirt. 

"Doubt it". There was a beat of silence. "Just cut the damn thing off, it's just a shirt". 

So Hank did picking up a medical scalpel he cut through the material with little effort. "They look inflamed like they're fighting off bacteria almost, it would explain why the area is so hot". 

"What would they be fighting off there's no wound there?" 

"Not technically, I think Warren's body is fighting against En Sabah's wings, his healing abilities are fighting against the modifications. And by the looks of it they're winning". Hank raked his fingernail over the top of Warren's wing, where the bone used to be. "Can you feel that Warren?" 

"Yes, I can fe-". He paused his snappy reply. "Holy shit, I can feel that". 

The professor moved closer to Warren. "Amazing, your nerves seem to be returning". 

"What's that mean for him?" You looked at Warren who looked like he was trying to process everything. 

"The metal seems to be reversing, turning back into feather, skin, and bone". Hank turned his attention to some of the larger primary feathers. "And look here the metal has already started to revert back to feather". 

Sure enough the feather Hank was referring to was palpable under his hands the metal giving easily. Hank released the feather and it slid amongst the other back into place, the sound of metal sliding on metal that you had grown accustomed never met your ears. Warren sat up curling his wings in front of him testing his feathers for himself, just like they did with Hank the feathers bent easily under his hands. "How long will it take, for them to be back to normal?" 

"It's hard to say, with your healing abilities not too long". You felt your heart drop if Warren's wings reverted back to his old feathers there wasn't a reason for him to have you around. 

The professor approached you while Warren and Hank were talking. "He seems to be doing better, aside from the wing pains, more open". You nodded he had been doing better, was trying to be less aggressive. "He's not going to want you to leave when his old wings return, he's already quite attached to you". He said it simply like it was a fact. 

"He is?" You still doubled it deep down. 

Professor chuckled. "Yes, he prefers I don't snoop around in his head, as he calls it, but checking occasionally won't hurt him". 

You both looked back at Warren, who was doing his best to fight down a smile but was failing miserably. The professor nodded his head that way, a signal for you to go talk with him, Hank passed you making his way over to the professor. "I hear you're getting your old wings back". 

Warren slid off the exam table grabbing a bottle of pills and a tube of medicine making his way to the door. He glanced back behind him at you, quickly averting your gaze from his back, with his shirt still gone you were admiring the view. In you're defense he had a nice back. "As soon as the end of the week maybe longer". 

You willed yourself to keep your eyes locked on the back of his head. "What's the medicine for?" 

"The pills are for pains". He rattled the bottle to emphasize. "The tube is some cooling jell, supposed to help with the burning". 

You followed him into his room, he didn't invite you but you doubt it really mattered. "Does it still burn?" 

He walked to his dresser pulling out a shirt, two large slits in the back. "It's not as bad, but it's starting to flare back up again". 

"Are you going to put some of that jell on it?" Your eyes landing on the tube he laid on his dresser. 

He paused from where he was putting on his shirt never facing you. "Guess I could before I put this on". reaching behind him he tested something, there was no way he could cover the whole area, without shredding his arms on his wings at least. 

"Do you want me to?" You're question getting quieter at the end not sure exactly what you were asking. 

He turned to face you and, oh shit, he was still half-naked. You looked away face burning. "Yeah, help would be appreciated".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is Nothing else matters by Metallica.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, close to 25,000 words in a fic that's shooting for 50,000. 
> 
> Warren's allowing himself to open up, even dare I say becoming fond of y/n.

Warren, as it would turn out, is unfairly attractive. You should have expected it, being a cage fighter for years probably keeps you in shape. Jeans still half wet causing them to hang lower on his hips, slowly you let your eyes travel back up pausing occasionally. Reaching his face you realized he was staring at you, a smug grin plastered on his face. He never said anything as you awkwardly cleared your throat looking over to his wall to admire the nice paneling. "Sehen Sie etwas, das Ihnen gefällt?" The sudden German brought your attention back to his face, his arms crossed all his weight shifted onto one foot. You squinted your eyes at him, he was messing with you, smug grin now resembling a small smile. Leaning over he grabbed the tube of jell from his dresser extending his arm to hand it to you, he didn't say anything as he sat on his bed back facing you. Doing your best to smooth your nerves you unscrewed the cap approaching Warren as you did, you squeezed a small amount into your hand. 

The jell was cold starting to tingle and cool deeper into your fingers the longer you let it sit. Warren flinched slightly when the jell touched his back not prepared for the strong contrast of coolness on the heat of his back. He settled fast and you began applying the jell evenly as you could, avoiding adding too much pressure in fear of pressing something sensitive. Warren's whole body seemed to lean into your touch shoulder arching up slightly silently asking you to apply more pressure. You did until the amount of pressure you were applying was on the verge of becoming a massage, Warren was preening in it, tense muscles giving under your fingers. He was completely relaxed under you his shoulder and wings slouched forwards, head hanging downwards. You had rubbed almost everywhere over his upper back until all his muscles were loose and pliant under you. Reaching the area closed to his wings you softened the touches afraid of causing him pain. When you eased up on the pressure Warren pressed back into your hands almost instantly, the added force not causing him any visible discomfort. 

Steadily you began adding pressure around his wings he let out a grunt but made no other protests against your actions. Slowly you reached the max amount of pressure you were comfortable giving and began rubbing small circles into the base of his wings. He tensed, his wings jerking upwards slightly. You paused afraid you had pressed too rough. "Don't stop". It was so strained you almost couldn’t make it out, but carefully you resumed your actions. Slowly the tension left his body and he relaxed again, occasionally groaning when you moved to work on a new spot. The jell wasn't even coating your fingers anymore it had all been rubbed in, but Warren seemed too content to stop now. You don't know how long you had been rubbing when your fingers began to ache, you moved your hands away from him when he didn't lean back into you, you returned them to your sides.

Warren didn't move, keeping his slouched forwards position breathing slowly. You leaned forward peeking around his shoulders his eyes were closed mouth parted slightly, you shook his shoulder lightly. When he never stirred you smiled, he had fallen asleep, you couldn't blame him he looked like he hadn't got a good night of sleep in a while. Allowing yourself to appreciate the sign of Warren sleeping, looking peaceful for a change. You should his shoulder again slightly harder this time, hating to wake him but the position would definitely give him a crick in his neck when he wakes up if he didn't fall over first. "Warren". You called quietly, he was sleeping hard. "Warren come on you can't sleep like this". His eyes fluttered open at that, blue peeking through his lashes, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "You still have pain meds to take and you can't sleep like this". Warren looked around confused like he didn't remember falling asleep, the up at you. "Hi, welcome back". You smiled back down at him, turning to grab the bottle of pills over the counter. Warren was looking over his shoulder at his back the best he could, rolling his shoulder and flexing his wings, confusion was still written across his face the looseness in his shoulders a foreign feeling to him. 

Reading over the instructions three times to be sure, you shook the pills into your hand returning all but two. "Do you have- Oh nevermind". You paused your question spotting the minifridge in the corner, squatting down you opened the door searching for a drink. There wasn't much in there a few bottled waters and some small protein packs with ham, mixed nuts, and cheese. Grabbing a water you closed the door and stood making your way back over to Warren. He had turned around letting his legs hang off the side of the bed, yawning he watched you approach him. Holding out the pills he took them and you opened the bottle of water, leaning his head back he popped the pills in his mouth. He took the water you held out to him and downed the whole bottle in one go, taking the empty bottle from his hand you screwed the top back on and placed it on his dresser. Warren laid down on his side after that fighting off sleep, his wings laid out behind him grazing the wall. The wall behind him had several small scratches from where his wings scraped up against it in his sleep. 

You sat next to Warren on the bed, one leg folded up under you the other hanging off the bed, he never moved his eyes following you as you sat. "You should sleep". Letting his eyes close he made a noise of agreement. He was allowing himself to sleep in front of you, allowing himself to be completely vulnerable, and he was comfortable with it. "Du bist gefährlich für mich, ich bin hilflos vor dir". He cracked his eyes open up at you. "Ich habe mir erlaubt, mich an dich zu hängen". You couldn't begin to understand what he was saying, but he said it so softly you couldn't help but smile. His eyes closed again, you sat and watched him for a while till his breathing slowed and you were sure he was asleep, you stood and turned to leave. "And y/n, danke". You didn't speak german but somehow you knew he was thanking you. He was asleep before you could say you're welcome. 

With a light feeling in your chest, you walked to the Professor's office. Professor smiled at you mirroring the one across your own face. "How is he?" 

"He's good, great even, he's sleeping now". You took a seat, it was a familiar action at this point. 

"That's good news, he's hardly slept since he got here". Looking back on it now you should have noticed it sooner. "He trusts you, he never allowed himself to even relax around anyone else". You nodded trying to get your smile under control, it was proving useless. "You're good for him, I have no clue where he would be if you didn't decide to help". 

It felt good, the light giddy feeling in your chest multiplying tenfold. "He seems ready to have his old wings back". 

"I'm sure he is, those metal wings seem to be a reminder of what he did during the apocalypse". You nodded understanding. While you had never been allowed to watch the apocalypse on the news, your parents banned it but you had picked up bits and pieces from others. 

"His old wings were amazing, even in that fight ring". They were dirtied and bloodied in the poster you had but there was no denying that they were angelic even then. 

Professor nodded. "They were". 

"Do you think they'll be the same like they were back then?" 

"I can't say for certain, but I think so yes". Professor began searching through one of the drawers on his desk. "I was able to find this, it's not the best picture but it's him". He pulled out a picture of warren hovering a few feet above a group of people, his wings were blurry from the movement but the rest of the picture was clear. "It wasn't easy to find, it was taken in Germany, labeled as an angel sighting. He hardly has any pictures from America, and most of the ones in Germany were taken down. By that Mutant fighting ring, I would presume.". You picked the picture up even his wings being as blurry as they were, you could tell they were beautiful. "You can keep the picture". The professor responded before you could ask, whether you were just that easy to predict or he read your mind you didn't know. 

"Thank you". you pocket the picture in your jacket next to the poster. 

The professor smiled again. "Go speak with your friends, I'm sure they're ready to hear from you". He was probably right it had been a while since you talked to them, aside from Peter. So you did, bidding the Professor a quick goodbye you headed off towards Peter's room. Peter opened the door on the first knock your fist froze in the air, you were practically radiating excitement and everyone in the room could tell. 

"Well come on tell us the news". Jean was already ushering you in. 

You walked quickly taking your seat on Peter's bed. "It's going great, he's really starting to warm up to me". 

"Care to elaborate". Peter bumped you with his shoulder. 

You couldn’t even bother to give him an annoyed look. "This morning he woke up from a nightmare, Professor said he had them occasionally like warped memories of the past". 

"What do you mean memories?" Scott asked. 

"Like his time back in the warehouse, or back when he fought in the cage". 

You saw Kurt freeze up at that. "Was I there". 

"No, you weren't there, you're in the clear Kurt". He seemed to relax at that nodding. 

Your smile dropped slightly. "He said he could feel it, the pain of his wings splitting through his back". Everyone gave a sympathetic look in your direction. 

"Well go on, what'd you do?" Jubilee was sitting forward waiting for your response. 

"He was angry aggressive even, yelling in German, it took a while but he eventually seemed to understand he was safe. After a while I got him to relax, he was still speaking german but it wasn't hostile". 

Ororo tilted her head at you. "You got him to relax?" 

"Yeah, it wasn't that hard once he realized it was just me". You shrugged. 

Peter laughed. "You got big bad Warren whos been nothing but aggressive to relax? That easy?" 

You stuttered. "Well no he shot some feathers but they weren't directed at me, I don't even think he knew I was in there when he did". You defended quickly. 

"He shot feathers while you were in there?" Jean sounded shocked. 

"Again I don't think he knew I was in there and he was just panicked. He seemed to feel bad about it, but I couldn't tell he was speaking german". 

"I'm assuming you stopped the feathers". Scott crossed his arms at you. 

You grabbed your arm. "Yeah, he never even flinched when they fell to the ground afterward, he calmed down after that". 

"There's got to be more than that". Jubilee didn't even have to ask she knew. You spared a lot about what happened in Warren's room, giving him some privacy. 

But it couldn't hurt to tell what happened in the clinic. "Yeah, I had to run him to the clinic, the place where his wings connect to his body was hurting him pretty bad. It hurt yesterday but I had assumed it was from him flying for the first time in a while". 

"He flew yesterday?" Ororo asked after she looked at jubilee and Scott who both shrugged. 

You looked at Peter expecting him to have told them by now. "Yeah, flew for a while around the pond". You could see a few of your friends preparing to ask more questions. "Anyways, we had to go to the clinic. The area was red and inflamed looking, it was hot to the touch too". Nobody said anything so you continued. "So l left him in the clinic to run get the Professor who went to get hank while I went back to Warren. When I got back he was standing under the emergency chemical spill shower". You saw Peter start to make a joke. "Fully clothed before you say anything, Peter". 

"What was he doing in the shower?" Jean asked 

"Said it helped with the burning, apparently, it was getting pretty bad. The water was freezing cold chilled the whole room, he was shivering pretty bad when he stepped out so I found him a towel. It seemed to take some of the discomfort away at least, Hank looked him over after that". You avoided mentioning the whole no-shirt event. 

"What was wrong with him?" Kurt was still nervous, but couldn't help worrying for him. 

You smiled which seemed to confuse everyone in the room. "His old wings are growing back, his healing abilities are fighting En Sanah's wings, his body is repelling them. Of course, he's still going to be in some pain I can't imagine it would be easy but he's got some pain meds. He also got some jell he's supposed to rub over the area to help with the burning, I have to help him with that part". 

"Now wait, you mean to tell me you rubbed that jell on his back, he just let you do that?" Peter laughed. "You saw him shirtless didn't you". You could feel your face heating up. 

"Oh my god, you did!" Jubilee pointed out, several people laughing at your blushing appearance. "Well, now you really can tell us y/n, was he attractive?" 

Jean shot you a sympathetic look. "All of you are terrible, not you Kurt, it was strictly for medical purposes". She was trying to help but you could tell she wanted to laugh. 

"It was!" you defended. "I just rubbed the jell in and he dozed off, he was really tense when I started I think it helped loosen his muscles. Seemed to help with the pain some too". You crossed your arms giving an annoyed look. 

Ororo gave you a gentle look. "If he's falling asleep in front of you there's trust there, he's trusting you at least". 

"If cupid". Scott snickered at the name. "Gets his old feathery wings back, what's your plan?" 

You looked down at your feet at the question. "I don't know, I guess it just depends on if he wants me around". 

Ororo walked over to you placing her hand on your shoulder. "He's going to want you around, your the only one he looks at without looking like he's planning to murder you". 

"I guess so". You were afraid of letting yourselves get too hopeful in fear he'd push you away.

"He likes you y/n, he's just having a hard time opening up". Jean reassured you. 

"He ain't letting you go nowhere that dude's in l-l-love". Peter sang from across the room. Jean glared at Scott daring him to laugh, Scott shut his mouth instantly. 

You sighed. "Piss off Peter". 

Scott stretched his arm above his head, wrapping one arm around Jean. "Jailbreak anyone, I'm itching for a jailbreak". 

"I don't know, I probably shouldn't leave Warren here". You scratched the back of your head. 

"Come on angel tamer, he's passed the fuck out, I doubt he'll wake up within the next century after everything that happened today". Peter had a point he was sleeping pretty soundly when you left. 

You started to brush off going when Jean spoke. "Come on Peters right". He preened in the compliment. "He's out cold and you deserve a night out again". 

"Fine". Peter gave high fives around the room them made a roundup motion with his hands. 

* * *

Scott passed you the keys when you got to the car, you shot him a quizzical look. "You're driving". 

"The Professor doesn't care?" You paused where you were, looking at the car. 

Jean gave you a deadpanned look. "He trusts you with Warren but you're worried he doesn't trust you to drive to the mall". 

"Fair point". Getting in the car and cranking the engine you make your way to the mall, hoping you could remember the way. Peter sat next to you picking a song he liked paying no mind to the groans from almost everyone else in the car. You parked as close as you could, people still tended to avoid the group of you but you refused to let it bother you. The seven of you made all of the same stops you had last trip, even the arcade. It had passed without incident other than the occasional side-eye, and the same cop from before glaring bullets across the room but he never made a move to stop you. Nobody had improved since the last time you were here, Peter being the only one to win a decent amount of tickets he divided them evenly as he could against the rest of you claiming 'He didn't need any more cheap spider glow rings'. 

It didn't take you long to spend your tickets, picking out a small metal keychain in the shape of wings, reaching into your pocket you put it on your dorm key. Jean and Ororo 'awwed' at you while Peter tried to hide his snicker. Scott grabbed some cheap sunglasses red lenses and a black frame insisting Jean wore them so they could match, she rolled her eyes but wore them anyway. Jubilee picked out a handful of erasers shaped as animals claiming they were cute when everyone looked at her. Jean got a small magic 8 ball, kind of pointless considering her powers but she and Scott still asked it questions despite that. Ororo pocketed a small beanie crab, it wasn't what you had suspected but she seemed to like it. Poor Kurt was intrigued by the disappearing ink, Peter grabbed it off the counter offering to show him how it worked. 'Accidentally' spilling the ink all over your shirt, Kurt gasped hand over his mouth, everyone laughed at his reaction and the shock morphed into confusion. Kurt's eyes widened when the ink faded away snatching the bottle back from Peter and putting some on his own shirt, amazement plastered on his face when it disappeared. 

It was getting late the group of you deciding it was better to start heading back. You stopped glancing in the same store window you had bough your jacket from you paused, thinking of something. Pulling out the poster of Warren you were right, he had a leather jacket much like your back in the fight ring, his had more spikes and rips but it was similar. "Hey, guys". They all stopped to look at you sharing a look they walked towards you glancing at the poster in your hands. "I think we could do something nice for warren". 

"He going to be able to get his wings through that thing?" Peter was right you'd have to make some modifications but you could do it. 

"Not with how it right now, but I can make it work". Everybody ended up helping you pay, you hadn’t made any money since you joined the school. None of them minded between the six of them they only paid around $15 each, including the snap fastener and thread you needed to fix it. Folding the jacket over your arm you made your way back to the car, excited to get home and fix Warren's jacket. Handing the keys to Peter as soon as you exited the car you headed straight to your dorm, laying the jacket on your bed and praying you didn't mess it up. 

From the bottom of the jacket, you cut upwards until you reached where his wing would be you mirrored this for his other wing, cutting as straight as you could. You had never sewn clothes before but you had helped sew a pillow back together once so you had the gist of it, picking up the snap fasteners you sewed them onto the jacket trying to place them where they wouldn't be seen. Holding up the jacket you had done better than you expected, it looked kind of odd having two slits running down the back length of the jacket but it would make more sense one it was on Warren. You snapped the buttons closed making sure everything lined up, you were proud for your first time it was damn good. Now you just had to hope Warren liked it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, just want you to be able to visualize the jacket. It's called a biker jacket with the flaps that button around the collar. 
> 
> Now with warrens bladed wings and leather jackets not being stretch like shirts I didn't think adding slits would be enough to get it on without damaging it. So instead of just slits, I had the jacket cut all the way down to the bottom and have buttons added to snap it back together so it has the appearance of just slits. 
> 
> If you want me to be honest I have no clue how he gets shirts on in the first place, even with his wings weren't serrated.


	7. I thought you'd like this

You were practically buzzing with excitement the next morning, getting ready in a flash grabbing Warren's jacket as well as your own off the back of your desk chair. You were making your way to the Professor's office before some students were even up, a slight skip in your step. You stopped at his door, taking a breath to calm yourself a muffled 'come in' came from the other side before you could knock. Opening the door you were greeted by the Professor, Warren wasn't in the room which would normally worry you but the Professor's calm look prevented it. You saw his eyes flick down to the jacket in your arms smile breaking its way onto his face. The clock on the wall told you it was a little past six, you never even checked the time before heading down here, it was early but the Professor didn't look bothered in the slightest. You took your usual seat laying the jacket down in your lap smoothing your hands over the material. 

"Good morning y/n, you're up early". Reaching into a desk drawer he pulled out a key card. 

You ran your fingers along the lapels of the jacket. "Morning Professor, just a little excited is all". 

"Yes, I can see that". His eyes fell back to the jacket on your lap. "If I may ask, what do you have there?"

You grinned unable to contain it. "A jacket I picked up yesterday, everybody helped pay for it". 

"And what are you planning on doing with that jacket exactly?" He was looking back at you now a pleased look set on his face.

Flipping the jacket over you admired the slits you had made in the back. "I worked on it all night, I remembered Warren had one on in the poster you gave me, I thought he could use another one". 

"That is very thoughtful of you and your friends". Picking up the key card he handed it over to you. "That card will get you to the Warrens floor, saves you the trip of coming here first". 

The Professor trusting you with the lower floors was huge. "You think he'll like it?"

"Oh, on the contrary, I think he'll love it". That was good to hear. "He should be up by now, why don't you go ask him?"

The key card Professor had given you works great, the elevator even welcoming by your name, pressing the button you lowered to Warren's floor. You had to refrain from running full speed to warrens room, instead walking at a brisk pace. Knocking on Warren's door you didn't get a response, knocking harder you began to worry when he didn't answer. Knocking one more you heard a muffled 'coming' from the other side of the door and some shuffling before it was opened halfway. "Professor I-". His eyes were squinted looking down at you from the bright lights, but you can tell by the look on his face he wasn't expecting you. "Hey". He must have just woken up his hair still disheveled from sleep, his wings picked up slightly from behind him. He perked up a little bit moving to the side opening the door all the way to let you in. "what are you doing here?" His voice was still drowsy and deep not quite woken up yet, he stretched his arms out above him his wings following the action. It was kinda cute. 

You held the jacket behind you hoping to hide it for a little longer, he seemed too sleepy to realize the odd behavior. "I have a key card to get down here now, just to make things easier". You smiled as he rolled his shoulders, there was no popping sound and he never winced. The only light illuminating the room was a bedside lamp, but it was enough to see, he had at least put on a shirt before he answered the door. He rubbed his eyes with his hands then down his face attempting to wake himself up, his eyes were looking more focused now. "How are your wings and back?"  
He flexed his wings after you asked, stretching them up curling the forwards, and giving them a few test beats. He never gave any sign that they were bothering him. 

"Good, best they've felt in a while actually". You smiled nodding at that, it was good news. He blinked hard once willing the sleepiness out of his system, then with one final stretch of his wings straight out by his sides they twitched with the effort he woke up completely. His eyes scanned over your form, squinting when he realized you were hiding something behind you. He stepped to the side slightly trying to catch a glimpse of what you had, but you moved opposite of him keeping his view blocked. "What do you have?" His voice yet to lose the deepness left behind from sleep, it was less noticeable but it was still there. One eyebrow raised he tilted his head wings twitching behind him, if you knew any better you'd say he almost looked curious. 

You felt yourself get nervous, what if he didn't like it, what if it reminded him too much of his cage fighting? Cutting off the negative thoughts before they could make you chicken out you held the jacket out in front of you. You heard Warren's breath hitch the worry really setting in now, risking a glance at him you watched his eyes trail over the whole front side of the jacket. He reached out touching one of the sleeves of the jacket. "I can't wear this". Your heart sank. 

"I'm sorry, I knew you used to have one I should have kn-". he cut you off.

His eyes still locked on the jacket he continued. "No, I love it, but I can't physically wear this". It was your turn for your breath to get caught in your throat. 

"Yes, you can". He looked at you confused. Without saying another word you turned the jacket around placing it in his hands. 

Eyed wide he placed one hand through the slits in the back, an emotion you couldn't place on his face. "How did you?"

"Bought it yesterday, me and my friends bought it for you. I made the alterations last night". You shuffled your feet. 

He breathed in shakily. "I still don't know if I can get it on without shredding it". He seemed almost sad about it

"Here look". Reaching over you unbuttoned the snap fasteners. "I made it to where you just button it back together when you get it on". 

"So etwas hat noch nie jemand für mich gemacht". You amiled at the German. 

"Go ahead try it on". You laughed at how quick he put his arm through the sleeve reaching over with the other hand using a practiced motion. he had both arms in the sleeves quickly, you walked around to button the fasteners at the base of the jacket. He turned around to face you careful of his wings and gave them a full rotation test, checking to see if everything fit comfortably. "How's it fit, I hope it's the right size it's a little too late to take it back now". You laughed, but he just stared down at you. "If I cut the slits too low It'd be easy to fix I just had to guess". Still, he never said anything. "Warren?" Before you could worry Warren bend down and hugged you tightly his wings curling froward wrapping around you but not close enough to touch you. He mumbled something into your shoulder but you couldn’t understand him. "What?" 

"Danke" He picked his head up momentarily from your shoulder to respond then place it back. Sliding your hands through the slits in his jacket you rubbed familiar circled on his spine. 

You laughed. "I assume that means thank you". He nodded into your shoulder. "Well, you're welcome then". You continued the circle patterns. 

"Das fühlt sich schön an". You didn't bother asking what he said. 

Starting to push away from him he tightened his arms around you. "You think you're good enough to fly today?" He nodded into your shoulder again. "Come on if we leave now we should be able to beat the class bell". Warren uncurled his wings from around you at that pulling away just enough for you to back up, he looked like he didn't want you to leave. "Beat you to the elevator". His eyes widened when you bolted to the door chasing after you. About halfway to the elevator, Warren pushed himself forward with his wings slightly taking long leaps till he was in front of the elevator. "You cheated". You were laughing, out of breath he didn't even look the least bit winded 

A smug grin played at the corners of his mouth. "I did not, not my fault you didn't make any rules". 

"You just knew I would have beat you otherwise". You crossed your arms but you couldn't argue with him, you didn't specify any rules. 

Warren reached out pressing the ground floor button. "I'm sure". He looked at you from the corner of his eye chest puffed out in pride just slightly. 

When the elevator doors Warren washed any emotion off his face, eyes scanning the room for other students. A few were standing around others walking past, you could practically feel Warren tense beside you. "Just don't pay them any attention, they're not there". Warren nodded stiffly but made no move to show any aggression which you were grateful for. A few students looking at him cause his wings to flare out slightly but still didn't look in their direction. You made it to the back doors without incident, the tension melting from Warren's body when he saw nobody was outside. His wings beat behind him the gusts of wind blowing a few strands of your hair forwards. "You can go Warren". Without another word Warren shot straight up from behind you Clearing over a hundred feet with a couple of powerful thrusts from his wings. He made his way to the pond quickly staying relatively low to the ground rising occasionally only to angle himself downward to gain a short burst of speed. 

You kept your eyes on his form in the sky while you walked over to the pond taking a seat on the grass. He stayed up there for pushing on two hours casually circling the pond, relaxed soaring more than flying. You didn't mind though enjoying him in the air where he seemed happiest, you could catch him looking down at you every once in a while and you'd offer a wave. The bell releasing students on their break rang out, and you panicked afraid Warren couldn’t hear it. Warren's head snapping towards the school told you he did but he never made any change in his flying to come back down. Other students were making their way over to the pond some of them even taking notice of Warren and staring still, he made no change to his flying. Several people were staring at Warren now, he picked up his flying slightly beating his wings faster to get some rise. He paused his assent at around two thousand feet hovering in the air, a decent crowd of people still watching. 

Suddenly he tucked his wings angling himself downwards and dove downwards towards the ground, you smiled he was going to scare them. The was a collective group of gasps from somewhere behind you at warrens speed towards the ground, looking behind you some of them had even covered their eyes. Warren was getting close now headed straight for the ground in front of you, you watched refusing to step back. In the last couple feet of air, Warren shot his wings out coming to a near sudden halt about a foot in front of you. A large gust of wind whipping through the area a range of gasps to screams came from the other students. Warren was looking down at you, wings still beating with the most determined look you had seen on anybody. You had to admit it was intimidating the sudden show of power Warren just pulled off, staring coldly at everyone behind you. 

Despite that, you smiled up at him when he returned his gaze to you warmth sparking behind those cold blue eyes that only you could see. He landed in front of you with more force than he needed he flares his wings out to their full length, a sign he didn't appreciate being stared at. It got the message across anyone who was looking at him turned away and you shook your head. "Was all that really necessary?" 

He huffed giving the area one final survey seeming satisfied. "They were staring at me". 

"They weren't doing any harm". A bell rang behind you signaling the end of break. 

Warren watched them scurry back into the school, proud of himself. "I don't like when they stare". 

Huffing a laugh you sat down. "Sit down, you probably shouldn't be working you're wings so hard right now". 

"They feel fine". When you didn't budge he sighed. "Fine". 

You sat like that for a while thinking. "Can you teach me some stuff in German?" 

"Depends, what do you want to know?" He huffed in a laugh. 

It would probably be best to start off easily. "We can start with how to say hello?" 

"That's easy enough". He looked at you. "Hallo". 

"Hallo?" You had pronounced it right but absolutely butchered the accent. 

Warren snorted a laugh at that. "No, like this. Hallo" 

You and Warren went back and forth like that for a while, how to pronounce 'Hallo' with a german accent, you never quite got the hang of it but Warren called it 'Decent enough'. The conversation quieted after that settling into a comfortable silence. Warren stretched his wings out before leaning himself back onto his hands getting comfortable not being able to lay back thanks to the bladed feathers. Sneakily you tried to take in Warren's relaxed appearance, flying helping to relax him, he looked good like this less tormented. "Mach ein Foto, es wird länger dauern". He wasn’t looking at you when he said it but you knew you had been caught. 

You shook your head. "I still have no idea what you're saying". 

"That's the point". You let your stare trail down to what would be the primary feathers of his wings. Some of the metal had already started to give away to feathers, the tips become white and soft. It wasn’t many of them just the larger ones around the end of his wings but it was an improvement and a fast one. You reached your hand out grazing your hand where his feathers turned white and soft. His wings twitched at the touch but it wasn't a flinch, he watched your hand as it ghosted over the area. You caught him smiling but pretended not to notice. 

"So, Hank was right you're feathers are coming back in, the nonmetal ones I mean". At this rate, they'd be fully feathered before the end of the week. A group of footsteps behind you made both you and Warren freeze. 

"Y/n?" Shit, that was Peter and he was with everyone else judging by the footsteps. 

The air around you turned very tense very fast after you and warren turned your heads in their direction. "Hey, guys". 

Nobody said anything sensing the tension, them waiting on Warren to do something and him waiting on them to do something. The last time they had seen each other they were fighting to the death, almost got him killed. Nobody else was gonna break the silence so you spoke first all of their eyes snapping at you. "What are you doing here?" 

"Training got canceled early". Jean responded. You scolded yourself, you should have known this would happen eventually. You should have been more prepared. 

Warren's face was surprisingly neutral. "Long time no see". His voice was too. 

A beat of silence passed. "Well, that's a shit way to break the ice". You flinched expecting Peter's words to set Warren off. 

"I don't see you doing any better". Warren just shrugged. 

Scott shot you a look. "So you don't hate us for almost killing you?" 

"Oh no, I hate everybody you just got lucky enough to catch me in a good mood". He still seemed calm and in a way, it was more worrying than him getting mad. 

"Bullshit bird boy, you don't hate y/n". Peter just didn't know when to stop. 

Warren seemed entertained by the accusation. "Sure I do speedy, I just happen to hate her a little less". You scoffed. 

"Since both of Peter and Scott". Scott flinched at the harsh tone of his name. "Are too hard-headed to apologize for almost killing you I will". 

Warren waved a hand. "Don't worry about it, I tried to kill you too the way I see it we're even". You relaxed a little they didn't appear to be at one another throats. 

"I am sorry about what I did to your wing". Kurt added quietly holding one finger up. 

Warren landed his head to the side cracking his neck. "Now you, I am kind of pissed at". 

"Warren". You warned. 

He looked at you. "But, I'm willing to forget it happened". You mouthed a silent 'thank you' to him. 

"Dude she's got you whipp-" Ororo clapped a hand over Peter's mouth. 

She smiled down at you in a form of an apology. "We should get going now". 

"See you later y/n". Jean spoke as everyone else waved bye. 

You waved back, waiting till they were all out of earshot to return your attention to Warren. 

"You handled that well". You stated suspiciously. 

Warren was still relaxed beside you looking out over the pond. "Yeah well there's no point in being pissed with them, they're your friends it'd just be unnecessary tension". You caught a hint of a smile. "Plus they did catch me in a good mood". 

You felt that flutter in your chest again, it was starting to become a familiar feeling. "So do you really just hate me less?" 

"Nah, I'd probably put you in the 'tolerate category". 

You scoffed. "Well don't I feel special". 

"You should you're the only one I willingly hang out with". The fluttering multiplied tenfold moving lower to your stomach. "Ich war schon lange nicht mehr so nah bei jemandem". You pushed his shoulder at the sudden change in language, he only laughed. A couple of hours passed like that, long moments of comfortable silence and short pointless conversations. It was past noon when you laid back on the grass feeling yourself get sleepy, you closed your eyes promising yourself you wouldn’t fall asleep. 

* * *

You woke up to the sound of several people talking laying on something hard. Cracking your eyes open still confused you met a blue sky, you shot up straight. You fell asleep laying on the ground by the pond and there were people nearby several people. Warren was still beside you, he had stayed refusing to leave no matter how uncomfortable it made him to be out here. He seemed to be okay considering the circumstances, but you could see the familiar clench of his jaw, his eyes staring into you're almost begging to leave. You stood and he stood with you, practically on your heels as you made your way back into the school, he only breathed a sigh of relief when the elevator door closed. "You didn't have to stay". 

"I couldn’t just leave you out there alone". He sounded appalled by the thought. 

"It's safe here Warren, nothing was going to happen". You stated opening Warren's door. 

You were beyond tired staying up too late combined with waking up super early this morning was wearing down on you. You sat on Warren's bed instantly willing yourself not to lay down, you yawned. Rubbing you're eyes you tried to fight off the sleepiness, it did little to help. 

"You can lay down if you want. You look tired". Warren suggested. 

Taking the offer instantly you laid down, breaking the promise you wouldn't fall asleep for the second time that day.


	8. Chapter 8

Opening your eyes you realized several things; one the wall you were currently facing wasn't yours, two there was something draped across you that was too heavy to be a blanket, and three someone was breathing soundly down the back of your neck. The world must be playing some cruel, cruel joke on you, gathering all the courage you could muster you looked down. A very familiar shape was lying across your side, a wing that was now more feather than metal. Following that wing up to its owner you recognized an equally familiar leather-clad arm curled around your stomach. A gut feeling told you it was still dark outside, closing your eyes you sighed deeply through your nose preparing for a long night. Reaching down your hand found his that was laid across your stomach, carefully you let your fingers trace the tendons down to his fingers, and back up you repeated the process. The methodical deep breathing behind you was helping to lull you back to sleep, slowly the invisible patterns you were tracing on Warren's hand paused as you drifted back off to sleep. 

You woke up later to movement behind you, Warren took one deep breath behind you then his breathing hitched and he froze, realizing he was basically spooning you. "Scheisse". Inch by inch he lifted his wing off of you, suddenly you were really grateful his feathers lost their sharpness. At the loss of his wing, you had to fight a chill all your warmth leaving with it. Starting to move his arm off of you he froze again, you had kept your arm over his thought your sleep. "Scheiße". You flinched at the word and the room fell quiet both of you holding your breath. "You're awake". You swallowed, you had hoped he would just get up and you could pretend to wake up later. In response, you removed your arm from his. Cautiously he pulled his arm back to his side and inched off the bed, you waited for a minute calming your nerves. Sitting up still facing the wall you heard Warren shuffle and clear his throat awkwardly behind you.

"I didn't mean to-shit-facing you was the only way I could lay down with my wings". You maneuvered yourself around so you could face him, it only seemed to fluster him worse. "I was going to wake you I swear you just looked so comfortable and I would have felt bad". Now that his wings were mostly feathers they fluffed out behind him only adding to the embarrassed look he was going you. "Ich habe das wirklich gefickt". He mumbled running a hand anxiously through his hair. It was more your fault than his, you shouldn’t have let yourself fall asleep, there wasn’t much of a choice for him. "Please don't hate me". His eyes were scanning over your face desperately looking for any hint at what you were thinking. 

"Hate you?" The idea you could hate him unbelievable to you. "Warren it was my fault I shouldn’t have fallen asleep, I took your bed". Warren still looked anxious but your reassurance seemed to ease some of it. If you were being honest with yourself it felt nice sleeping with someone. You shut the thought out refusing to let yourself believe you and Warren were anything more than friends, could ever be any more than friends. Warren, in your personal judgment, didn't seem like the kind of guy to want a relationship. Being less than a day away from his wings being completely feathered now, soon he wouldn’t even need you around. "I'm willing to pretend it never happened if you are". Warren bit his tongue nodding. "Alright then consider it forgotten". You joked trying to lighten the mood. 

Placing your feet on the floor you stood stretching, groaning when your spine popped. "It's Saturated, meaning people will be out and about all day especially out by the pond". Warren huffed a sound of annoyance. "And I'm assuming you don't want to be cooped up inside either of our rooms all day?" He shook his head no. "I thought so, how does the mall sound?" The mall wasn't your favorite idea since you had just gone yesterday but you were willing to make sacrifices to get Warren outside. You cut him off before he could say no. "We can go with my friends, some people may stare but that's all, and on the rare chance they do say something Peter handles it quickly". He still didn't look convinced. "Come on it'll be fun there's an arcade and the movies. Promise you I'll rock somebody's shit if they try anything". That got a snicker out of him. 

"You? Rock somebody's shit? Now that I wouldn’t miss for the world". You smiled proud of yourself, Warren was leaving the school to go out into the public with your friends. 

You pointed at him excitedly. "You do whatever you need to do to get ready, you and me both have the same clothes on from yesterday. I'll go get ready and round the group up". Halfway down the hall, you thought of something. "Meet me in my room when you're done". You shouted from down the hall.

* * *

You knocked on Peter's door, he could get everyone together faster plus he didn’t give them the option or time to say no. "Grab everybody we're taking Warren to the mall". He nodded closing the door to get himself ready. 

You had just got dressed when someone knocked on the door, hair still wet with your toothbrush in your mouth you answered the door. Warren was apparently very efficient at getting ready for a guy with wings to clean the only signs he had showered at all was his hair and feathers weren't fully dry. His jacket was in his arms looking a little surprised at your appearance. "Come in, you can use the hairdryer if you want but I'll need it when you're done". The words were garbled from trying to keep your toothpaste in your mouth, be he looked like he understood you. Warren followed you into your bathroom finding the hairdryer and plugging it in. His hair was dry before you finished brushing your teeth, he was running the hairdryer along the length of his left-wing after you had rinsed your mouth out. You shook your head when he went to hand it back to you. "I don't need it yet, haven't brushed my hair out". Warren moved over to his right wings drying any feathers he could get to. 

"Want me to get the back?" Warren fluttered his wings the wetness obviously bothering him. Taking the hairdryer from him you motioned for him to turn around, and you ran it over the backs of his wings. Whichever wings you were drying would arch up into the warm air, you smiled at the subconscious action. You continued even after his wings were completely dry letting him lavish in the warmth for longer than needed. Eventually, you did have to dry your hair, he stood and watched you through the mirror while you did. With your hair now dry you moved back into the bedroom, rummaging through your dresser finding decent clothes, the ones you currently had on being a pair you didn't mind getting toothpaste on. Grabbing your change of clothes you returned to the bathroom closing the door behind so you could change in private. Opening the door when you were done changing Warren slowly finding his way back into the bathroom with you while you finished getting ready. 

When you were completely done getting ready you offered to help Warren fix his jacket. Nodding he put it on and waited for you to snap the buttons, in between your first and second buttons there was a knock on the door. "Come in". 

"We're all ready to go chief. Oh, that's cute, you two are twinning with your leather jackets" Warren's wings fluffed up. 

Snapping the rest of the buttons you sighed. "Just go get in the car Peter, we'll be there in a minute". 

The silence told you he had left. "Did he call me cute?"

"Ignore him, it's Peter". You huffed.

* * *

"Okay, just so we're clear, there is absolutely no way this car is fitting all eight of us and angel boy's massive wings". Peter claimed the second you stepped foot into the garage. 

Scott grabbed a second pair of keys off the wall. "So we take two cars no big deal". 

"And the Professor is fine with that?" You just wanted to make sure. 

Jean smiled at you. "Trust me y/n he doesn’t care, he wants us to live like normal people". 

"You made sure to tell Professor warren was going right peter?" You interrogated

Peter scoffed in mock offense. "Yes, I informed the Professor, what do you take me for. a fool?"

You mumbled a 'sometimes' quiet enough that only Warren could hear, who snorted at the comment. 

"You're stuck driving again". Scott tossed you the keys. 

Getting into the driver's seat of the navy blue hatchback Warren climbed in the passenger seat beside you, He struggled to get comfortable with his wings but he managed eventually. Kurt teleported in the car with Scott and Jean immediately still terrified to get too close to Warren. Peter and Ororo getting in with you and Warren, Jubilee opting to ride with Scott and Jean. You let Warren pick the music setting the radio on classic rock, you weren't surprised. Peter whined at the music choice bet everyone else elected to ignore him, following Scott you made your way to the mall. You followed Scott around the parking lot trying to find two parking spots close together, finding two spots decently close together you and Scott parked. You, Warren, Peter, and Ororo all stepped out of the car to stand and wait for Scott's group to meet up with you. Warren's wings stretching out behind him as we waited from being cramped in the car, it wasn't long before the group was back together. 

The mall was busier than it had been the last two trips thanks to it being the weekend, the eight of you started to make your way into the mall. Warren stuck next to you closely searching for some comfort from the people staring at his wings, you gave him the most comforting smile you could manage. Peter was insisting we watch Pet Sematary claiming it was supposedly one of the best horror movies of the century, Kurt seemed a little nervous with the idea. But other than that there wasn't much of an argument against him, none of the other movies seeming too interesting. 

Peter paid for everyone's tickets with his card, you had no clue where he got his money from but apparently, he had plenty of it. The lady who gave Peter our tickets let disdain cross over her features, Peter smiled and moved on. Everyone ordered their drinks, Peter added three large popcorns once again paying for everything. 

Handing each of us out tickets we made our way into the theaters, handing our tickets to the man at the gate we found our movie. You sat near the back of the theaters all taking your seats, you sat next to Peter, Warren following to sit after you. Warren laid his left-wing out into the empty seat next to him, his other looked uncomfortably tucked between him and the seat. "You can put your wing in my seat if you want, behind me". You leaned forwards. Warren stretched his right-wing out behind you leaning back he looked a lot more comfortable. You leaned back onto his wing not quite putting any pressure on it. "It gonna bother you if I lay back on it?" Warren just shook his head no. Leaning back fully you got comfortable against his wing. Peter passed a popcorn to you for you to hold between the three of you no way it was lasting past the ads. You were a few minutes into the movie and surprisingly the popcorn was only around half empty, your hand occasionally brushing against Warrens when you both reached in the bag. 

The first jump scare of Church jumping down from a tree and yowling scared Kurt bad enough to teleport himself a few rows back, you could tell it was going to be a long movie for him. The next few scars weren’t bad barely getting more than a flinch from you, if you paid attention you could hear Scott laugh every time Jean jumped. A little after the half-hour mark of the movie picked up, Victor appearing beside Rachel made you jump more than it should have, bad enough to get Warren to look at you. You glared at him while he tried to hide his laugh, he had yet to even be startled by a scare. "Just a movie engel". 

You huffed in response, rolling your eyes at the sudden use of German. "I know it's just a movie War". 

He tilted his head. "War?" 

"Fair is fair". He went to say more but you held your hand up shushing him. "Movies on". 

You absolutely refused to give Warren the satisfaction of seeing you jump through the next jump scares. You were over an hour and a half into the movie now and you hadn’t flinched to Warren's disappointment. Rachels dead body dropping down from a rope got everybody in the theater, including Warren. You reached out grabbing Warren's shoulder digging your fingers into the leather of his jacket gasping. "Ficken Scheiße!" His wings flared out behind him, the wing behind you pushing you forwards slightly and reaching just far enough to knock into Peter. "Ouch, watch it bird brain". 

Warren pulled his wing back to its relaxed position behind you. "Zip it blur-boy". 

Peter and Warren weren’t being loud barely talking above a whisper but it still obviously annoyed someone up in the front row. "I don't even know why they let freaks like that in here". You were meant to hear it, him raising his voice louder than needed for his buddies to hear. It was a small group of people three men and two women, all of them looked to be in their early twenties. You could practically hear Warren's teeth grind at the insult. 

"Hey man we're just here to watch the movie like everyone else, we paid". Peter tried to de-escalate the situation. 

The man stood turning around to face us. "All you're doing is disrupting the movie for all us normal people". Oh, the irony in that. 

"Bro just sit down you're the one causing a scene". Peter laughed. "You're embarrassing yourself". 

That really only edged him on more. "We going to have a problem buddy?" 

"I don't know 'buddy' are we?" Annoyance starting to lace Peter's words. 

Warren's whole body was wound like a live wire, sitting on edge waiting for something to happen, his fingers cracking from the force of clenching his fists. His jaw set so tight part of you was worried he'd crack his teeth under the pressure. You grabbed his wrist rubbing your thumb over the back of his hand. "Come on let's just go, the movies pretty much over anyway". Grabbing his sleeve you got him to follow you out of the row of seats, his posture was stiff and his steps were a little rougher than they needed to be but he kept himself under control. 

"Where you going Pidgeon wings, scared of a little confrontation?" Warren froze from behind you jerking you to a stop with him. Mutants were always portrayed as the bad guys in situations like these, and this guy knew it, whatever we did he would win. You turned around at the click of Warren's tongue he was still facing the exit, but you could tell he wanted to turn around. 

"Hey, jackass leave them two out of it". Scott was standing now. 

The man sneered. "Why he's one of you isn't he?" His eyes found their way on you. "What's a girl like you following someone around like him for?" 

Warren's whole jerked and you felt your mouth go dry. "Say that again". Warren was still staring down at you, face calm but fire flickering behind those baby blues. 

"What's a girl like that doing with a guy like you?" Jesus, did this guy not know when to stop? Warren cracked his neck, wings twitching as he rolled his shoulders. He took one deep breath he smiled down at you, he stood straighter wings slowly rising from their relaxed position. 

Jubilee held up her hands. "We don't want any trouble". That only made the guy laugh. 

The man walked his way over to the exit lane you and Warren were standing in, shouldering Warren's wing and slapping your ass. "I'm sure we don't". The rest of his friends following after him soon after. 

You could see rage building behind Warren's eyes, his nostrils flaring with each deep breath. "Outside". The man stopped one foot out of the door at Warren's voice. 

"Warren, don't". You warned. 

Warren sneered bearing his teeth. "Meet me in the parking lot you hurensohn". The words came out in a snarl. 

"Don't be late". He winked at you leaving the theater. 

Jean was by your side quickly after he left. "Warren you can't fight him you know what happens when mutants fight humans, the media twist it around". 

"You'll kill him Warren". Ororo tried to reason with him. 

Warren was still seething. "Just gonna knock the shit out of him, that's all I need". His fingernails digging so deep into his palms you wouldn't be surprised if he started to bleed. 

"War". You reached out placing your hand on his arm, his eyes flicked to your hand back to you. 

His eyes softened but still sparked with determination, no way her was letting this go. "I'll be careful, it'll be fine". 

* * *

You stuck to Warren's heels as he made his way to the parking lot, his whole body seeping rage. Warren insisted nobody else follow, they were X-men, and getting caught up in parking lot fights wasn't the best idea for them. None of them seemed happy with staying behind but Warren was right, they had a reputation to keep clean. Exiting the mall and surely enough the man was there leaned up against the wall smoking a cigarette when he noticed Warren he threw it down snuffing it out with his shoe. "So you didn't chicken out, kind of surprising considering you look like one".

Warren growled at that, a deep sound coming from somewhere in his chest, unfolding his wings he beat the once not enough to get off the ground but enough to show they were a weapon. The man eyed them seeming taken aback by the actual size of them stretching over twelve feet when at full length. 

Warren let out a bark of a laugh when he noticed him staring at them. "I won't use them, make it a little easier for you". He let them fold, they weren't relaxed but out of the way. "Ich habe viel schlimmer geschlachtet als du mit diesen Flügeln". 

The man pushed himself from the wall, warren stepping forwards sticking his hand out when you tried to follow a silent demand to stay there. They met in the middle, Warren was taller having a couple of inches on the shorter man. Staring down at him warren waited got him to throw the fist hit. The sound of a fist connecting with its target cracked through the silent parking lot. Warren's head was turned up from the hit, something told you his nose was broken. But he never staggered, jerking his head sharply his neck cracked, turning his attention back to face down at the guy. Warren was facing away from you but you could tell by the way his finger twitched he was about to absolutely fuck some shit up. And he did, Warren was smart about it aiming for any area that wouldn’t bleed or break. Warren was winning by a mile, every hit that man got in Warren got in five better ones. They had turned themselves around during the fight and you could see Warren's face now, blood dripping from his nose and dried on the back of his hand from where he tried to wipe it off. 

Warren backed off the second the man fell to his knees, taking the time to spit the blood and saliva from his mouth. Warren had won, you never doubted him but it didn't make the fight any less worrying to watch. The man stood grabbed his jaw and stumbled off further into the parking lot, you and Warren watching till he turned behind some cars. The man now out of sight you bolted to warrens side turning his face in your hands checking the damage, he never pulled away letting you look. His nose was definitely broken a thin stream of blood still running from it, he would probably have a black eye and his lip was busted but other than that he seemed fine. You let your thumb trace over his lip a small about of blood coating it when you pulled it back. Moving back his hair you found a cut across his temple, the man must have had a ring on, but it wasn’t terrible the had blood already dried. 

Scanning his face you found no other injuries letting your eyes meet his again, the fire behind his eyes now replaced with almost a fondness. Your hands still on the sides of his face your thumbs brushed over his cheekbones delicately. "You okay?" You asked so softly you barely heard it. Warren never spoke, instead he connected his mouth to you which you assumed meant he was alright. Recovering fast you kissed back, Warren was being surprisingly gently for someone who just beat the shit out of another man. You could tasted the metallicness of the blood from his lip but it didn't stop either of you, your hands moving to the back if his head, his planting themselves on your hips. He pulled you close and you stayed like that until both of your lungs were screaming for air. Warren leaned down dressing his forehead onto yours his smile coaxing one of your own. 

A cat call whistled from behind you, you didn't even have to turn around to know it was Peter. "Go Warren, you rocked that duchebags shit and got the girl!" You huffed a laugh quietly. 

"So I take it you're alright". Rubbing you thumbs over his face one last time you dropped your hands letting him nod. 

Peter flinched seeing Warrens nose. "Dude you look like shit". Always so blunt. "And you got a little something on your nose there". 

"Yeah well you should see the other guy". Warren lifted his hand to his face placing it on his nose twisting it sharply. A sickening crack made you gasp, placing your own had on your nose. Most everybody else in the group cringing at the sound with you. Warren only shrugged. "I have to set it fast, it'll be healed in a minute. 

"That was fucking disgusting". Scott cleared his throat, Peter seemed to remember something. "Right, for no reason at all who kissed who?" 

You shook your head. "Why's it matter?" 

"I did". Warren responded before Peter could answer. 

Peter shot you a disappointed look handing Scott a twenty. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't know we were placing bets". 

"Alright I think we've had enough excitement for the day". Jean was right, you were dead tired. 

* * *

Warren followed you back to your dorm, you could tell he was tired now that the adrenaline had worm off. Opening your door throwing your keys on you dresser and jacket somewhere in the floor you grabbed and wet a wash cloth. The cut on his temple was mostly healed now his lip no longer busted. Bruises already starting to form, reaching up you carefully whipped the dried blood from under his nose, reamainong silent he watched you as you worked. With all of the blood gone you threw the rag in the general direction of your bathroom and fell into bed. Noticing your key chain Warren laughed out a single word. "süß". He stood in the middle of your room for a moment until you pulled your covers back in an invitation. He took it almost immediately, burying himself under the warmth of your cover he laid one large wing over top of you, wrapping an arm around your wait to pull you closer. He curled himself around you, a position that was almost identical to the one you wok up in this moring.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did this chapter take unnecessarily long to post? Yes.  
> But being in the final half of this work I want the next chapters to be better, so I'm giving them more thought and time. 
> 
> Also, hello you almost 70 people who are reading this? Like what are you doing here, I expected like 10 reads at most. But I appreciate ya'll cause that means I must be going something right.

Someone knocking on your door the next morning woke you up. Slowly unwrapping Warren's arm from your waist, he grunted but never shifted when you left the bed. Rubbing your eyes you opened your door, looking down you were met with the Professor. 

"I am terribly sorry to bother you but Warren never returned to his room and-". Warren turning in your bed, one now perfectly feathered wing turning with him, caught his attention. "I see he is in good hands". He raised a knowing eyebrow. 

You glanced back at Warren now on his stomach wings hanging over the side of your bed. "Yeah, he had a rough night". 

A look of sympathy crossed the Professor's face. "I heard, normally I wouldn’t condone such actions but the way Peter tells it, it was deserved". 

"He did good, won by a mile". You smiled. 

Professor laughed at that. "The way your smiling I'd say more happened than that fight". 

"What are you suggesting Professor?" Looking out of the corner of your eye he looked back at you. 

Turning around he shook his head. "Nothing at all y/n, have a lovely rest of the morning". 

Watching the Professor leave for a second you closed the door, Warren was still sound asleep. You laughed, he must have been more tired than you thought. Cheek pressed against your mattress taking up all of the bed he didn't look nearly as intimidating as he did last night. It was cute, he looked completely relaxed head resting on one arm the other splayed off to his side, mouth parted slightly not quiet snoring. You sat on the edge of your bed running your fingers through his hair, it has grown since he got here, now resembling what it had in the ring. His head turned in his sleep subconsciously allowing you better access to the hair hear his neck. He smiled in his sleep seeming to enjoy it when you used your fingernails to scratch. "Warren". He never moved still breathing deeply. "Warren come on". You shook his shoulder, still nothing. "Fine stay asleep". You huffed but it held no real annoyance. 

Grabbing a rag you ran water in your sink till it was cold and wet the rag. Warren, as you had expected, was going to wake up with a black eye. Squeezing the rag you stepped out of your bathroom, Warren's eyes snapped closed as you entered. Pretending like you saw nothing you made your way over to him, Warren doing his best to sneak glances at you. "I know you're awake". You laughed sitting on the bed close enough to look at his eye. You huffed when he continued faking. "Just let me look at your eye". Cracking his eyes open at you, you smiled. "Hi. You have a black eye". Placing the rag on your nightstand you smoothed your fingers over the bruise. "Does it hurt?" Shaking his head no he closed his eyes again. Grabbing the cloth back off of your nightstand you held it to his eye, he flinched slightly from the coolness of it. 

"Noch nie hat sich jemand um mich gekümmert". His words were still gravely from sleep, German accent still peeking through. 

He opened his left eye to look up at you. "What are you saying". 

"Just, never had anyone actually care for me before". He said it so nonchalant like it was a normal thing.

Looking down at him sympathetically you sighed. "I'm sorry". 

"You're sorry? For what?" His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. 

Using one hand to hold the rag you let the other run through his hair again, his eye fluttered back closed at the feeling. "Nobody should have to go through that, being alone". 

"I didn't have much of a choice, after my parents". What Warrens's dad did to him was an old wound, something he had no feeling over anymore. 

Placing the rag back on your nightstand you signed. "My parents threw me out". You said it quietly half hoping he wouldn't hear it. 

"What?" He heard, moving to sit himself up your hand falling from his hair. 

Unlike Warren the wound your parents left you with was still fresh. "Yeah, after I figured out I had powers actually". 

"What a pair of schwänze". You had no clue what he called them but you found yourself laughing, the aggressive tone he used told you it was ugly. 

"But it's fine really I'm here now, and to be honest, I'm enjoying life far more than I ever did with them". Your parents had loved you, you knew that but they were nothing compared to the people you had found here. "If they didn't kick me out I would have never found you". 

Warren seemed taken aback by that, red creeping up the back of his neck. "I'm nothing special". 

"Of course you are". You placed your hand on his shoulder. "For everything you've been through, I'd say you're doing amazing". Red was making its way onto his face now. "All you've ever known was betrayal and fighting, and you're trying to get better trying to trust people again". Sliding your hand down his arm you grabbed his hand giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Your past isn't perfect, but you're fixing it, being kind, and that's all anybody can ask from you". Red covered his face now, his head turned away from you to try and hide it. "My parents would have hated you". 

"Because I'm a mutant?" 

You laughed. "No, well yes that too, but they had a vision of who they wanted me to be around, pretty much the exact opposite of you". 

"What's the exact opposite of me?" He inquired like he was interested in what you thought he was. 

You gestured to all of him. "Someone who didn't look ready to snap someone's neck at any given moment". 

"That's just my resting face". He shrugged. 

Rolling your eyes you responded. "Maybe someone who ventured outside of wearing black". 

"it's a nice color". He shot back. 

You couldn’t disagree, it did look nice on him. "Someone who didn't cage fight and almost start the apocalypse was probably preferable to them". 

"We all have our flaws, could be worse I could snore, or leave the cap off the toothpaste". He was joking a smile playing on his lips. 

You gasped pushing his shoulder. "Don't say such things, we don't joke about the toothpaste getting all crusty". He broke at that, a small laugh escaping. You smiled with him, wedging yourself back into bed, facing him he curled his arm around you. His wing shifted coming over his back he draped it over top of you making up for the lack of blanket. "But I like you, and honestly my parents' opinions don't mean shit to me anymore". 

Warren nuzzled his face into the top of your head causing you to laugh. "You're a lot less intimidating when you're cuddling". 

"You think I'm intimidating?" It was muffled. 

You scooted yourself high enough to be face to face. "Not usually, I knew you weren’t as scary as you made yourself out to be, but I would hate to be on your bad side like that dude yesterday". You smiled reaching up and running your fingers over his new scar over his temple. 

"He touched you". His eyes steeled at the mention of him. "I wouldn’t have gone that easy on him if it weren’t for you watching". 

Getting comfortable you settled under Warren's wing. "Well I'm glad you didn't kill him, I'm sure he learned his season". Warren grumbled something you couldn't make out and pulled you closer closing his eyes. "The professor came by". Warren froze against you. "Everything's fine said he deserved it". You felt him relax again. 

You laid with your head leaned up against Warren's chest listening to the steady rhythm of his heart when he spoke up. "What are we?"

"We don't have to be anything if you don't want to, but I'm open to suggestions". You felt Warren's chest rumble against you. 

"I've never dated anyone before, I had hookups but never anything more". Warren warned. 

You hummed at him in acknowledgment. "It's fine, I never got around to anything serious either I'll be a learning experience". Neither of you spoke after that allowing yourselves both to drift back off into a comfortable sleep.

* * *

Warren groaned loudly in annoyance being woken up for the second time that day tightening his hold on you. "Warren I have to open the door". You got out through laughs and he regretfully let you go. Peter's hand was covering his eyes when you opened the door and you signed at his antics. 

"Everybody decent?" You didn't even know why he bothered asking, why would you opened the door if you weren't. 

"Yes Peter". You huffed out.

Peter dropped his hand. "Great, everyone's gathered in my room for a movie marathon". He pointed at you. "And don't think you get to skip just cause you got tall, dark, and broody over there". 

"Fuck off Maximoff". Warren grumbled out but it didn't hold much of a bite when he was still half asleep. 

Peter waved his hand brushing him off. "He's always so pissy, anyways be there in ten". Peter was gone before you had time to argue. 

"Might as well get up now War". He growled at that, reaching for your arm when you got close. 

You moved your arm out of his reach. "He'll just come back". You pulled a shirt and some jeans from your dresser, glancing behind you Warren hadn’t moved eyes still closed. Tugging your shirt off you rolled your eyes, unfolding the new shit to put on you heard a catch of breath behind you. Pulling the shirt over your head you turned around accusingly, Warren snapping his gaze away from you as you did. "Warren Worthington, are you peeking at me while I'm indecent?" You tried your best to sound offended but couldn’t hold back a laugh. 

"I wasn't trying to". He defended quickly, his wings fluffed out from behind him from where he now sat on your bed. 

Scanning your floor for your jacket you threw off last night you laughed again. "It's fine Warren just my back, not a big deal". Finding your jacket you tossed it on. "I do have to change pants though so you might want to turn around". Warren did putting his hand over his eyes for good measure, you changed your pants quickly. "You can look now, we would probably head to your room if you want to change that is". 

"I probably should". Warren stood, stretching his arm and wings out above his head wings thumping against the ceiling. "Probably won't be back at Peter's in ten minutes". 

You snickered. "It'll be fine he can't get down to your room to lecture us anyways". Grabbing your dorm keys you locked your door behind you. 

"Nice keyring" Warren pointed out. 

Pocketing your keys you smiled back at him. "Thanks, I thought so too".

* * *

You Watched Warren take off his shirt with a perfected movent, folding his wings to prevent stretching it. Digging through his dresser he pulled out a shirt that was poorly folded slipping it on with the same experienced movement. Turning around it revealed a Metallica logo on an all-black shirt, it wasn't really a surprise. You turned your head giving him some privacy when he slipped on his jeans, they were ripped around the thighs but they were a very dark shade of grey. "Breaking out the spring colors I see". You joked motioning to his jeans. 

He smirked at that. "Yeah, switching this up this year". Warren joked back throwing his jacket on turning around waiting for you to button it. His wings rose and fluffed out slightly as you worked, finishing you reached out your hand running it over the bone. He shivered at the touch but let you continue your movements lowering your fingers into his feathers. 

"They really are beautiful you know?" They twitched once under your fingers.

Warren flexed the one you weren't touching around in front of him. "They haven’t looked this good in a while, they were always so dirty back in the cage, then one got burnt, and then En Sabah". 

"Well they look great now, I can see why they called you angel". His wings puffed out fully at the compliment like they were preening in it. "Well we should go, I'm sure Peter is frantic looking for us".

* * *

Stepping off the elevator you were greeted by a very annoyed-looking Peter. "It's been 20 minutes". 

You pushed past Peter Warrens wing 'accidentally' hitting him as he passed. "We're on our way now, relax". 

"I swear bro you hit me with that thing one more time". Peter tapped his foot crossing his arms. 

Warren turned to meet him, they were at the same height level. "Or what Maximoff?" Warren was joking you could tell, but the handful of people who had gathered at the threats couldn’t. 

"Come and find out feathers". A gasp caught both Peter's and Warren's attention, their playful banter cut off instantly. 

A look of real annoyance settled on Warren's face at being watched. "Both of you stop, we have a movie marathon to get to". Warren turned to follow you eager to get away from prying eyes. People were watching both of you, Warren because he was Warren, and you because he just listened to you. 

"You are so whipped, man". Peter whispered, you probably weren't meant to hear it. 

"Shut it". Warren snapped out real annoyance coming through his tone. Peter disappeared after that leaving you and Warren to head to his room on your own. Warren picked up speed just enough to settle himself and match your speed beside you. His wing stretched out behind you the feathers grazing the back of your legs occasionally, like a less obvious version of his hand around your waist. It folded back beside him when you reached peters door everyone's eyes looking between you and Warren when you entered. Warren visibly tensing made them all return their sights to the movie. Scott and Jean took up Peter's couch, Peter was stretched out on his bed, Kurt sat in a bean bag chair like always. Peter had brought in two new chairs for Jubilee and Ororo, leaving the spare bed they normally used empty for you and Warren. You smiled at the action, they made a place for you and Warren to be comfortable. 

Grabbing Warren's arm you drug him to the empty bed letting him sit against the pillows and get comfortable before following after him. You made your way into the bed laying next to Warren against the pillows and his right-wing. Reaching down you grabbed the covers bunched at the end of the bed pulling them up to your waist leaning back you met Warren's arm wrapping around your side. Smiling over at him he kept his eyes locked on the tv but you could see the proud look on his face, you leaned into the embrace. The movie was almost thirty minutes in when you and Warren started watching, it was one you had never seen before something about an aggressive dog whose name began with a C. It was pretty good a few decent jump scares but none good enough to get a reaction out of you or Warren. 

The next movie was one you recognized, one of Peter's favorites The Shining title screen lighting the room. Warren had never seen it, which made sense considering he was in Germany when it came out he probably wouldn't know any movies Peter played. Several movies in and halfway through The Outsiders you were being to doze off, yawning you stretched and rested your head on Warren's shoulder. Peter was raising his eyebrows at you from his bed, rolling your eyes you shot him a bird Warren copied the action with his free hand. Peter stuck out his tongue and shot one back, you sighed but the rest of the movie finished in peace. 

Peter paused the movie as the end credits rolled. "I don't know about you guys but I am starving". 

"I'm not doing it, me and Jean went last time". Scott crossed his arms lowering into the couch for emphasis. 

Peter shrugged looking between at you and Warren. "That leaves the love birds, Kurt and Ororo cant drive, and Jubilee almost totaled Professor's car last time she did". 

"Fine, we can go grab some pizza". Uncurling from Warren's side and leaving the bed caused Warren to groan. "You could just stay here, with this bunch". 

Warren uncovered and followed after you. "Absolutely not". You laughed, you had a feeling that would make him get up. "Don't know why he can't just go, he'd get there faster than a car could anyways".

"Oh and y/n, just say it's for the X-Mansion". Peter called before you could close the door.

Shaving your head you answered Warren. "Last time we let him do that he stole someone else's order and brought it back". You snickered, it had become a joke amongst the group. Picking amongst the keys hanging up in the garage you found the ones you were looking for. "We can take the convertible this time, it'd be more comfortable for your wings". 

Warren sat next to you in the passenger seat as you cranked the car. "You fine with rock?" 

"Yeah, rock's good". You smiled over at him pulling out of the garage. 

Warren fiddled with the knob swapping through different stations and avoiding static until he found what he was looking for. Back In Black played through the speakers and you smiled, if that song fit anyone it was him, reaching over you turned the radio up. Looking across the car Warren was tapping his fingers on the armrest nodding with the beat, your fingers began to tap on the steering wheel along with him. When the final verse of the song came along you caught Warren lip sinking the song, but with how loud the song was playing he could have been singing quietly. As Back in Black ended a bell chimed through the speakers a guitar and drums blaring through the radio behind it. Warren sat up straighter looking over at you eyes widened slightly mouth parting into an open smile as For Who The Bell Tolls played throughout the car. Allowing Warren to enjoy the rest of the music-filled car ride you drove to the nearest pizza place. 

Pulling into the parking lot you turned the radio down, as fun as the music was it was catching everybody's attention. Realize a little too late you probably should have called in instead of ordering now and waiting thirty minutes. "You can wait here, I'll be right back just need to order". Warren nodded, cranking the air conditioning up a notch. Walking a little faster than you normally do, to not leave Warren alone longer than needed, you walked in the doors to place your order. "Hi, can I get three pizzas, one cheese, one pepperoni, and one everything"? The man behind the counter nodded asking your name. "Y/n". Asking the next question you noticed his eyes tracking a little lower than you were comfortable with. "It's for the X-Mansion". You stated trying to direct his attention back to your face. He seemed a little taken aback by that then went to type something into the computer, but you figured it worked considering he never asked for money. 

"It'll be ready in about twenty". You smiled turning to leave. "You got a number I can have?" You flinched at the question, hoping you could get away with him asking. 

Without turning around you shook your head. "Don't have a phone". 

"Alright, well I get off in about an hour if you wanna hang around". He was really starting to creep you out now. 

You continued on your way to the door. "My boyfriend is actually in the car". 

"He had you come get them by yourself?" How desperate was this guy to be hitting on girls at work? 

"No, I offered". You snapped back. 

"Are you sure you have a boyfriend waiting on you?" You closed the door with more force than needed, not even bothering to answer. Stomping over to the Professor's car you sat in the driver's seat slamming the door behind you. 

Warren gave you a concerned look at your behavior. "What?" 

"Nothing, just dude being creepy and not knowing how to take a hint". You huffed out. 

Warren's wings fluffed out behind him but he never said anything thumping his fingers to the beat of the music. Around six songs later as bad as you despised going back in there someone had to get the pizzas, reaching for your door handle Warren reached for his. "You don't have to come, I'll only take a minute". 

"No, I'm coming". Warren found his place behind you, wings fluffed out and held a litter higher than normal. 

You smiled at his behavior, less than a day of dating and he was already protective. Warren had to fold his wings to fit through the door but returned them to their original position once inside. The look on the man's face from behind the counter was almost comical, a look that screamed 'oh fuck'. Warren sneered down at the man, his black eye almost making him more threatening, having nearly half a foot of height over him you could practically hear the man swallow when Warren approached the counter. Without uttering a single word he fled into the back bringing three pizza boxes back with him, flinching when Warren nodded his head motioning towards the counter. Placing the pizzas on the counter he nearly jumped back a whole foot, Warren looked at the guy head to toe and scoffed grabbing the pizzas and holding the door open for you. 

When the door closed behind you a laugh escaped you. "Warren you are terrible, nearly have that poor guy a heart attack". 

"I didn't even do anything, he got off lucky". Warren defended sitting the pizzas in the back seat of the car. 

You waited for Warren to sit back next to you before cranking the car. "I saw the looks you were giving him, he probably thinks you're going to hunt him down tonight". Warren just laughed turning up the radio to once again blare through the speakers. 

* * *

You opened Peter's door, Warren had refused to let you carry the pizzas. "Pizzas are here". 

Peter had a stack of pepper plates and the pizzas out of Warren's hands in a blur of movement. "Only took forever and a day". 

"There was a hold up". Warren replied in a huff grabbing a plate from Peter and grabbing a couple slices of the everything pizza. 

Peter raised his eyebrow at you when Warren never responded. "Some creepy dude over the counter, no big deal". You clarified grabbing your own plate and slices. 

"And I take it Warren didn't respond too kindly to that". Jubilee joked plate in hand sat back in her chair. 

Warren grumbled a sound of annoyance from the bed, picking olives off of his pizza aggressively. "No, he glared at the guy menacingly, poor guy probably won't sleep tonight". 

"Sounds like someone got a bit jealous". Ororo joked. 

Warren snapped his head in her direction. "I was not jealous of the piece of shit who works for minimum wage". Warren snapped out bite in his tone. 

You laughed with everyone else at Warren's response as you climbed back into the bed being careful not to drop your pizza. Peter pressed play on Beetlejuice and turned the lights back off, situating yourself back at Warren's side you enjoyed the movie.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this story is mainly just for me, due to the fact I feel like the number of warren stories is insultingly low. So some stuff may tend to be descriptive of me. But I figured no harm in posting it anyway. BUT that being said I have no posting schedule I post as I get inspiration. I may post and decide I want to change it a week later WHO KNOWS. 
> 
> Just so nobody confused I made the characters power projectile manipulation with a little extra. This means anything moving can be stoped and manipulated to move however you feel. EX; Someone throws a paper ball at you and it hits you? No, said paper ball is redirected and shot back now embedded in the wall next to their face as a paper dagger. Obviously, there is more to this power that I can't explain here such as, how many objects can you manipulate at one, how big of objects can you manipulate, what counts as a projectile. But I will try and clear this up as best I can throughout the story.


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